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2026 MLB Draft, First Round Results

Mark Polishuk — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:59:28 +0000

This year’s amateur draft is officially underway, and we’ll be updating this post throughout the day with every first-round selection. More details and scouting reports on all these young players are available in pre-draft rankings from Baseball America, Fangraphs, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. As well, Pipeline has the breakdown of the slot values assigned to each pick in the first 10 rounds, as well as the bonus pool money available to all 30 teams.

Here are the first-round selections….

Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA
Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian High School (TX)
Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech
San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Curiel, OF, LSU
Kansas City Royals: Zion Rose, OF, University of Louisville
Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr., OF, Oak Grove High School (MS)
Athletics: Drew Burress, OF, Georgia Tech
Atlanta Braves: AJ Gracia, OF, University of Virginia
Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, University of Kentucky
Washington Nationals: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M
Los Angeles Angels: Jared Grindlinger, LHP/OF, Huntington Beach High School (CA)
St. Louis Cardinals: Trevor Condon, OF, Etowah High School (GA)
Miami Marlins: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep (FL)
Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryder Helfrick, C, University of Arkansas
Texas Rangers: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas High School (FL)
Houston Astros: Logan Hughes, OF, Texas Tech
Cincinnati Reds: Justin Lebron, SS, University of Alabama
Cleveland Guardians: Liam Peterson, RHP, University of Florida
Boston Red Sox: Jake Schaffner, SS, University of North Carolina
San Diego Padres: Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton High School (FL)
Detroit Tigers: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina University
Chicago Cubs: Cade Townsend, RHP, University of Mississippi
Seattle Mariners: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State
Milwaukee Brewers: Trey Ebel, SS, Corona High School (CA)

The first round officially consists of only 25 picks since the Mets, Yankees, Phillies, Blue Jays, and Dodgers all had their first-round selections dropped back by 10 slots. The five teams each surpassed the third luxury tax tier ($281MM) in 2025, and thus their punishment included a 10-slot drop in their opening draft choice. The Mets’ first choice will be the 27th overall pick, while the Yankees will choose 35th, the Phillies 36th, the Jays 39th, and the Dodgers 40th.

The 2026 draft is split up over two days. Rounds 5-20 will take place tomorrow, while the draft’s first 135 picks will come off the board today. Those 135 picks consist of the first four proper rounds, the two Competitive Balance Rounds, four compensatory picks for teams who lost qualifying offer-rejecting free agents, and Prospect Promotion Incentive picks for the Braves and Astros. The Pirates will also have two picks in the second round, as they received the 51st overall pick as compensation for not signing Angel Cervantes, the 50th overall selection in the 2026 draft.

Dodgers Notes: Diaz, Snell, Glasnow, Ohtani, Yamamoto

Charlie Wright — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:39:10 +0000

The Dodgers sent All-Star closer Edwin Diaz on a rehab assignment tonight. The right-hander is recovering from elbow surgery. Diaz had a procedure to remove loose bodies in late April. He’s now back on the mound and working toward a return to Los Angeles.

Diaz’s tenure with the Dodgers got off to a strong start. He picked up saves in four of his first five appearances, allowing just a run. The veteran righty blew his first save against the Rangers, then didn’t pitch for nine days. When he finally returned to the mound, Diaz imploded, allowing three earned runs without recording an out. He went on the IL the following day.

Even during his good outings, Diaz’s velocity was down. He sat at 95.7 mph with his four-seamer. He’s never averaged below 97 mph as a big leaguer. Diaz’s slider was also down about a tick from last season. The pitch had more drop and horizontal break than normal.

The Dodgers handed Tanner Scott the ninth inning when Diaz went down. The results have been solid, as the lefty has picked up 13 saves in 15 tries. Most importantly, Scott has a career-best 3.5% walk rate. Control is typically his downfall, but he has just five walks in 40 games. Scott could continue to factor into the ninth-inning equation even after Diaz returns.

Here are more items from the Dodgers…

Left-hander Blake Snell threw live batting practice on Saturday (video link via Sonja Chen of MLB.com). It’s his first time facing live hitters since having elbow surgery in May. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters, including Chen, that Snell will start a rehab assignment next week. He’s expected to need four to five starts before returning to the majors.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow tossed a fastball-only bullpen on Friday. What was initially believed to be a minor back injury has sidelined the righty for more than two months. Glasnow has had multiple setbacks as he’s tried to return to the mound.”There’s been times where he’s played catch, thrown pens and then feels good until he doesn’t,” Roberts said, relayed by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “The back is a little tricky.”
Two-way star Shohei Ohtani provided more details about his injured knee, which will keep him out of the All-Star game. The discomfort is in his kneecap, relays Dylan Hernandez of the California Post. Ohtani had surgery on that knee during the 2019 season while with the Angels. He had no problem launching a leadoff homer yesterday, but explained the injury is more of an issue on the mound. “Pitching puts more of a strain on it.” Ohtani is slated to have the knee drained over the break.
Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will also miss the All-Star game. Roberts said the ace won’t pitch in the exhibition (h/t Jack Harris of the California Post). Yamamoto started on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. Pitchers who throw over the weekend often choose to skip the game. Teammate Justin Wrobleski will take Yamamoto’s spot on the National League squad.
Utilityman Kiké Hernández expects to return to the club during the first homestand following the All-Star break, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Dodgers open the second half with three series on the road. The first home series starts on July 28 against the Mariners. Hernandez strained his oblique in late May. He’s yet to begin a rehab assignment.

Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images

Orioles Activate Yaramil Hiraldo From 60-Day IL

Charlie Wright — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 02:11:49 +0000

The Orioles reinstated right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A, the club announced. Hiraldo has been sidelined since early April with shoulder inflammation. Baltimore now has a full 40-man roster.

Hiraldo broke camp with the club after a decent stretch to close the 2025 season. He permitted four earned runs in three appearances before going down with the shoulder injury. Hiraldo walked four and struck out two over 1 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old began a rehab assignment at the end of June. He’s made four appearances between High-A and Triple-A. He’ll remain in the Norfolk bullpen for now.

It was a winding journey to the big leagues for Hiraldo. He was signed by the Diamondbacks as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. The righty topped out at High-A in Arizona’s system and was released after the 2021 season. Hiraldo pitched in various independent leagues from 2022 to 2024. A strong campaign in the Mexican League earned Hiraldo another look in affiliated ball with Baltimore. He delivered a 3.55 ERA with a healthy 34.4% strikeout rate across three minor league levels last year.

Hiraldo sits in the mid-90s with his four-seamer and sinker. He also throws a slider and splitter. The righty leaned on the fastball and splitter almost equally last season. The slider was his clear third pitch, but he still used it 26.1% of the time. It’s a well-rounded arsenal for a reliever. Hiraldo’s splitter looks like a legit weapon, with a ridiculous 61.6% whiff rate and a .161 batted average allowed last year.

Baltimore is without closer Ryan Helsley, but the bullpen has a steady stable of right-handers with Andrew Kittredge, Rico Garcia, Tyler Wells, Yennier Cano, and Anthony Nunez. Long man Albert Suarez is also right-handed. There isn’t an obvious spot for Hiraldo, but further attrition could provide him with another big-league opportunity. He’s in his second minor league option year.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr., Imagn Images

Zac Gallen Dealing With Elbow Inflammation, Won’t Start Sunday

Charlie Wright — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 01:01:41 +0000

Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen was scratched from his next scheduled start due to elbow inflammation, relays Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The injury could require an IL stint. Piecoro adds that lefty Mitch Bratt is expected to be recalled to start on Sunday.

Gallen is stumbling through his worst season as a big leaguer. He’s posted a 6.34 ERA across 19 starts. The righty ranks in the 2nd percentile with a 6.49 xERA. His xFIP and SIERA are near 5.00. Gallen has a career-low 13.9% strikeout rate in 98 innings. That number hasn’t been below 21% in any of his previous seven MLB seasons.

While he’s maintained his normal velocity, Gallen’s top three pitches have been obliterated this season. Opponents are hitting .331 with a .545 SLG against Gallen’s fastball. His curveball and slider both have a -7 Run Value, per Statcast. Gallen has the fourth-worst total Run Value among qualified pitchers at -19.

Gallen entered free agency coming off an uninspiring 2025 campaign. He delivered a 4.83 ERA with less than a strikeout per inning. Gallen did top 30 starts for the third time as a big leaguer, but the results reduced his appeal on the market. He ultimately returned to Arizona on a one-year deal in February. Gallen rejected the qualifying offer in November, only to sign for the same $22.025MM figure, albeit with deferrals.

The 30-year-old Gallen has avoided significant injuries with Arizona. He had a brief scare in 2021 when he was diagnosed with an elbow sprain. It ended up being a minor issue that only cost him about a month of action. Gallen missed four weeks in 2024 with a hamstring strain. He’s been a consistent presence in Arizona’s rotation outside of those two injuries.

Bratt will get another look in the big leagues after a respectable debut. The lefty tossed three innings of one-run ball against the Cardinals in late June. Bratt came to the organization at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Merrill Kelly to the Rangers. He’s recorded a 2.41 ERA with a 25.2% strikeout rate in 13 starts at Triple-A this year.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Red Sox To Designate Danny Coulombe For Assignment

Charlie Wright — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 00:15:28 +0000

The Red Sox are expected to designate left-hander Danny Coulombe for assignment, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. The veteran tossed the final two innings of Saturday’s win over the Mets. As Cotillo points out, Coulombe’s contract included performance bonuses that start at 30 appearances. Tonight was his 29th outing of the season.

Coulombe was set to earn $75K after 30 games pitched. He’d get another $75K each for hitting 35, 40, and 45 appearances. The bonus would double to $150K if Coulombe reached 50 games, and continue if he made it to 55 and 60. The veteran had additional incentives related to days on the active roster. Coulombe would make $250K after 30 days on the active roster or the injured list (as long as the injury wasn’t related to his throwing arm). He’d get an additional $250K at increments of 30 days, up to 150.

Boston initially signed Coulombe to a one-year, $2.25MM deal with $750K available in appearance-based incentives, but the contract was altered after issues arose during the medical review. The agreement was adjusted to a $1MM guarantee plus the aforementioned roster bonuses, which total $1.25MM.

The 36-year-old Coulombe lowered his ERA to 4.50 with two scoreless frames against New York. It was the first time he’s worked more than an inning this season. Coulombe walked three in the appearance. His strikeout-to-walk ratio sits at 10:18 in 24 innings with Boston. The veteran missed time in May with a neck injury.

Coulombe has pitched for six teams in his 12 big-league seasons. He doesn’t have overwhelming stuff, but he’s delivered a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the past four years. He heads to DFA limbo with a solid chance to find another home. Boston has five days to work out a trade or place him on waivers. If he goes unclaimed, he has enough service time to forego a minor league assignment and enter free agency.

Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

Ryan Helsley Expected To Avoid Elbow Surgery

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 23:14:26 +0000

The Orioles have been without closer Ryan Helsley for the past two weeks as he recovers from his second elbow injury of the season. Manager Craig Albernaz shed light on Helsley’s diagnosis before Saturday’s matchup against the Royals. The hard-throwing reliever has inflammation around his UCL, but the ligament isn’t torn, Albernaz told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASN. Helsley is expected to avoid surgery.

Baltimore inked Helsley to a two-year, $28MM deal over the winter. He was a perfect 7-for-7 in save chances through April, but hit the injured list with elbow inflammation to open May. Helsley returned to the club in mid-June, only to head back to the IL with renewed elbow discomfort in early July. The righty was ineffective between IL stints, allowing six runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings.

Despite the poor results, Helsley’s stuff looked intact during his five games in June. He sat at 98.7 mph with his fastball, which is exactly what it was in 12 games before the first IL stint. Helsley’s Stuff+ improved from 118 to 125 after his return. Both samples are relatively small, but Helsley didn’t seem any worse for wear after the initial elbow problem.

Injuries were a consistent theme early in Helsley’s career. He missed time with shoulder, elbow, and forearm issues over his first five seasons with the Cardinals. The reliever has been healthy over the past couple of years. He tossed a career-high 66 1/3 innings with St. Louis in 2024. Helsley led the majors with 49 saves that year. He made 58 appearances between the Cardinals and Mets last season.

The injury update for left-hander Keegan Akin wasn’t as positive. The reliever is dealing with a UCL injury and will visit Dr. Keith Meister next week for a second opinion, per Albernaz. Those appointments don’t typically end well. Akin went down with elbow discomfort at the end of June. Albernaz declined to say whether surgery was an option.

Akin opened the season on the injured list with a groin strain. He returned in late April and was pummeled for six earned runs in his first outing. Another six-run clunker hurt his overall numbers, but Akin has been serviceable outside of the two blowups. His 3.68 xERA is two runs lower than his actual mark.

Baltimore has relied on Grant Wolfram and Nick Raquet as the left-handed options in the bullpen without Akin. Rico Garcia, Tyler Wells, and Andrew Kittredge have taken turns as closer with Helsley out. All-star reliever Felix Bautista is working his way back from shoulder surgery. It’s unclear if he’ll pitch this season.

Photo courtesy Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

Dodgers Activate Landon Knack, Designate Charlie Barnes For Assignment

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:05:49 +0000

The Dodgers reinstated right-hander Landon Knack from the 60-day injured list, per a team announcement. He’s been sidelined all year with an oblique strain. Knack will take righty Kyle Hurt‘s spot in the bullpen. Left-hander Charlie Barnes was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot for Knack.

While vying for an Opening Day roster spot, Knack went down with an oblique injury in the spring. He was competing for a gig in the Dodgers’ bullpen. The issue ultimately cost him more than half the regular season. Knack made three rehab appearances at Triple-A. He reached three innings and 63 pitches in his most recent outing.

Knack has been up and down with the big-league club in each of the past two seasons. He’s earned opportunities in the rotation and in the bullpen as the L.A. pitching staff has dealt with injuries. The righty posted a 3.65 ERA with a strikeout per inning in his rookie campaign. His ERA jumped by more than a run last season. Knack has made 19 starts and six relief outings with the Dodgers.

Hurt made a surprise start on Friday after Shohei Ohtani was scratched with a knee injury. He tossed a season-high 36 pitches against the Diamondbacks. Hurt was unlikely to be available over the weekend, so the Dodgers made a move to add a fresh arm. He’s been a reliable member of the bullpen, even working his way into the high-leverage mix. Hurt has recorded eight holds. He also locked down his first big-league save in May.

It’s the second DFA of the year for Barnes. He joined the Cubs on a minor league deal over the winter. Chicago added him to the roster in mid-April. Barnes made just one appearance with the Cubs and was designated for assignment in early May. The Dodgers grabbed him off waivers.

Barnes spent most of his time at Triple-A after coming over to Los Angeles. He tossed two scoreless innings shortly after being acquired, but was soon sent down. Barnes was recalled on the first day of July. He was crushed for seven earned runs as a bulk reliever and sent right back down.

The Dodgers have five days to trade Barnes or place him on waivers. If he makes it through this time, he has the right to reject a minor league assignment, since he’s been outrighted before. Barnes has shown the ability to cover multiple innings and has minor league options remaining. He could draw interest on the waiver wire or as a free agent.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

Cubs Designate Jake Woodford For Assignment

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:31:20 +0000

Right-hander Jake Woodford has been designated for assignment by the Cubs, the team announced. Reliever Phil Maton is back from the injured list to take Woodford’s spot in the bullpen.

Woodford’s tenure in Chicago lasted just one appearance. He was charged with three earned runs on five hits in Friday’s loss to the Reds. The Cubs signed him last week after he opted out of his minor league deal with the Brewers. Woodford took Bryse Wilson‘s spot in the bullpen as the club shuffled through long relievers.

More to come…

Mets Release Alex Carrillo; Outright Guillo Zuniga, Matt Seelinger

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 20:09:30 +0000

3:09PM: The Mets also outrighted right-hander Matt Seelinger to Triple-A, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. Seelinger’s whirlwind week saw the righty traded from the Tigers to the Mets on Monday, selected to the active roster for his MLB debut, DFA’ed on Wednesday, and he’ll now head to Syracuse after clearing waivers. Seelinger’s first and only big league game didn’t go well, as the Royals scorched him for seven runs over two innings in Kansas City’s 16-12 win over New York on Tuesday.

10:57AM: The Mets released Alex Carrillo and outrighted Guillo Zuniga to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, according to the team’s official transactions log. The two right-handers each cleared waivers after being designated for assignment on Tuesday, and Zuniga was retained as minor league depth while Carrillo was cut loose.

Zuniga is the more experienced of the duo, albeit with only 20 2/3 big league innings to Carrillo’ 4 2/3 frames in the Show. Most of Zuniga’s MLB playing time came when he posted a 5.09 ERA across 17 2/3 IP for the Angels in 2024, and he then pitched in the minors for the Phillies and Mariners last year without receiving a call-up. Seattle released Zuniga near the end of Spring Training and he then landed with the Mets on a minors contract, which resulted in a selection to the active roster last weekend and one appearance — Zuniga tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the Mets’ 7-6 win over the Braves on July 6.

Carrillo’s release comes almost exactly one year to the day that his contract was first selected to a big league roster, as the righty made his MLB debut on July 8, 2025. Carrillo’s time in the majors consisted of three games, 4 2/3 innings pitched, and an ugly 13.50 ERA due in large part to a disastrous showing (five runs in 1 1/3 frames) against the Reds last July 18, in what stands as Carrillo’s most recent Major League game.

Even with the constant roster churn at the back of the Mets’ bullpen, Carrillo didn’t get another look in the majors this year, though he didn’t do much to force the issue in Syrcause. Carrillo has a 5.57 ERA over 21 Triple-A innings, with an extraordinary 26 walks in that small sample size. While Carrillo has battled control problems in the past, the extreme nature of a 24.3% walk rate is hard to overlook.

It is possible Carrillo’s release may be related to an injury, as he hasn’t pitched for Syracuse in over a month even though he hasn’t appeared on the Triple-A injured list. Since injured players can’t be put on outright waivers, that could explain why the Mets have opted to cut ties with Carrillo entirely. A quick re-signing could be coming if this is indeed the case, or perhaps Carrillo is being released because he has a deal lined up with a team overseas.

Braves Place Mike Yastrzemski On 10-Day Injured List

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:42:02 +0000

The Braves announced five roster moves, including Mike Yastrzemski‘s placement on the 10-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation. Atlanta also optioned right-hander James Karinchak to Triple-A Gwinnett, while calling up right-hander Owen Murphy and outfielder Brewer Hicklen to fill the two open spots on the active roster. Jose Azocar was also outrighted off the 40-man roster and assigned to Gwinnett, as the outfielder has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment two days ago.

More to come…

Phillies Sign Bryan De La Cruz To MLB Contract, Outright Jean Cabrera

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:26:28 +0000

TODAY: The Phillies announced that Cabrera has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Double-A Reading.

JULY 5: The Phillies announced that outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has been signed to a Major League contract, a day after De La Cruz was released from his previous minors deal with the club. De La Cruz has been assigned again to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To open up a space for De La Cruz on the 40-man roster, Philadelphia designated right-hander Jean Cabrera.

Since signing his original minor league deal back in November, De La Cruz has played only for Lehigh Valley, hitting .254/.343/.426 with 12 home runs over 328 plate appearances. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb writes that De La Cruz had an out clause in his contract that led to this situation, but it has now been pretty quickly resolved with a spot on the Phillies’ 40-man roster, if not a call-up to the active roster.

De La Cruz is a veteran of five big league seasons, and he posted solid numbers as part of the Marlins’ outfield mix at the start of his career before his numbers started tailing off. De La Cruz has hit .243/.285/.390 over his last 1298 Major League plate appearances, with 40 homers but not much else to show for his work from the 2023-25 seasons. The 2025 season saw De La Cruz mostly play at the Triple-A level with the Yankees’ and Braves’ top affiliates, and his MLB work consisted of 16 games and a .453 OPS over 50 plate appearances for Atlanta.

Right field was a weak link for the Phillies even before Adolis Garcia underwent a season-ending lat surgery in June, and the outfield depth was further thinned by Johan Rojas‘ season-ending internal brace procedure to tix a torn UCL. Rookie Gabriel Rincones Jr. has been getting a lot of the action in right field lately but hasn’t been hitting at all, so Philadelphia could be calling De La Cruz up to the majors sooner rather than later. De La Cruz could conceivably be at least a stopgap option until the trade deadline, as the Phillies are expected to pursue outfield upgrades.

Cabrera held a spot on the Phillies’ 40-man roster since November 2024, and MLB Pipeline ranks the righty as the 13th-best prospect in the team’s farm system. Nonetheless, the DFA reflects Cabrera’s nightmarish 2026 season, as the righty has a 9.10 ERA, 15.1% strikeout rate, and 10.5% walk rate over 62 1/3 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Cabrera began the year at Lehigh Valley but was optioned back down to Double-A Reading in May, without any more success in the interim.

It’s an unfortunate step backwards for a pitcher who, heading into the season, appeared like a candidate to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026. The Phillies now appear to be comfortable with possibly losing Cabrera for nothing on the waiver wire, if another club feels like using a 40-man roster spot on a 24-year-old pitching prospect. If Cabrera clears waivers, the Phils will outright him off the 40-man and presumably return Cabrera to Double-A to see if he can get on track.

Tigers Claim Andre Granillo

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:22:46 +0000

The Tigers announced that right-hander Andre Granillo was claimed off the Nationals’ waiver wire. Granillo has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo, and no other transaction was required since Detroit had an open space on its 40-man roster.

More to come…

Expected SP Schedules Weeks 15-16

Michael Hanlon — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 18:00:47 +0000

Every upcoming matchup for every scheduled starter across the league.

The post Expected SP Schedules Weeks 15-16 appeared first on Pitcher List.

White Sox Select Roch Cholowsky First Overall In 2026 Draft

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 17:41:52 +0000

The White Sox have taken UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick of the 2026 draft. MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis reported the news about 20 minutes before the pick was officially announced, and The Athletic’s Keith Law wrote earlier today that the Sox seemed to be leaning towards Cholowsky.

This is the third time the White Sox have ever held the first overall pick, following their selections of Harold Baines in 1977 and Danny Goodwin in 1971. Cholowsky is also the second UCLA product to go first overall, following Gerrit Cole to the Pirates in the 2011 draft.

Cholowsky has been considered the favorite to go 1-1 for quite some time, though there was some late speculation that the White Sox could pivot to another top prospect like high school shortstop Grady Emerson (who the Rays took second overall) or Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey (who went third to the Twins). The Sox ended up making the chalk pick, though USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that Cholowsky has agreed to sign for less than the $11,350,600 slot price attached to the first overall selection. These savings could free up more money within Chicago’s $20,489,500 draft pool, and allow the White Sox to pursue some players who are seeking above-slot money to forego college commitments.

Despite finishing the 2024 season with a modern-record 121 losses, Chicago selected only tenth overall in 2025 — the rules prohibit all teams from getting a lottery pick in three straight seasons, plus the White Sox and other teams don’t receive revenue-sharing funds cannot receive a lottery pick in consecutive seasons. These same rules kept the 119-loss Rockies out of last December’s process, leaving the White Sox (who lost 102 in 2025) with the best odds of winning the draft lottery, at 27.73%.

The ping pong balls fell in the Southsiders’ favor, so the White Sox can now add Cholowsky to the core of young talent they’ve already accumulated via draft picks, international signings, and trades. What was expected to be a lengthy rebuild has surprisingly already started to show results, as Chicago sits atop the AL Central with a 48-45 record. Cholowsky already has three years of college ball under his belt and may not need too much time in the minors, so when he does arrive (perhaps as early as 2027), he could be joining a White Sox club that may be a full-fledged contender.

It should be noted that Chicago’s farm system already includes a pretty deep crop of infield prospects, plus Colson Montgomery (a first-round himself in 2021) has established himself as a solid regular over parts of two big league seasons. Teams virtually always draft the best player available rather than focusing on a specific positional need, plus shortstops can and usually are moved around the diamond since they’re athletic enough to handle multiple positions. The Sox can take their time in sifting through their minor league options, but with Montgomery in the majors and Cholowsky on the horizon, it could make the White Sox slightly more open to trading a lesser infield prospect for some win-now help…perhaps as early as the August 3 trade deadline.

Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and The Athletic’s Keith Law all ranked Cholowsky as the top prospect of the 2026 draft class, with MLB Pipeline placing him second (behind Emerson) and Fangraphs placing him third (behind Lackey and Emerson). The pundits all agree that Cholowsky has the glovework to easily stick and thrive at shortstop, with his strong throwing arm drawing particular praise amongst his defensive tools. At the plate, Cholowsky makes strong contact and a lot of it, and 20-homer production may be his floor depending on how well his raw power translates and develops against big league pitching.

PLV Decision Value Weekly: Swing Decision All-Stars

Ben Solow — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 17:30:17 +0000

Highlighting the best swing decision makers at each position

The post PLV Decision Value Weekly: Swing Decision All-Stars appeared first on Pitcher List.

Twins Claim Jack Anderson

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 17:23:22 +0000

The Twins claimed right-hander Jack Anderson off Boston’s waiver wire, as initially reported by 7 News’ Ari Alexander. Minnesota has officially announced the claim, as well as the corresponding 40-man roster move of shifting Anthony Banda from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. (Banda recently underwent a lat surgery that will sidelined the left-hander for the rest of the season.)

More to come…

Playing Time Trends: Week 16

Mark Steubinger — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 17:00:20 +0000

Covering the position players trending up and down in playing time.

The post Playing Time Trends: Week 16 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Overrated or Underrated Dynasty Prospects

John Villavicencio — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:30:00 +0000

At the halfway point, we review 3 overrated & 3 underrated prospects.

The post Overrated or Underrated Dynasty Prospects appeared first on Pitcher List.

Mets Release Alex Carrillo, Outright Guillo Zuniga

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:57:30 +0000

The Mets released Alex Carrillo and outrighted Guillo Zuniga to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, according to the team’s official transactions log. The two right-handers each cleared waivers after being designated for assignment on Tuesday, and Zuniga was retained as minor league depth while Carrillo was cut loose.

The Stash List Week 16: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026

John Villavicencio — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:30:11 +0000

Top 10 pitching prospects to stash in redraft league.

The post The Stash List Week 16: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 7/11 & 7/12 & 7/13

Nick Pollack — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:28:08 +0000

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

The post Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 7/11 & 7/12 & 7/13 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 7/10

Rick Graham — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:16:59 +0000

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

The post Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 7/10 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Tanner Scott Is Sliding Back to Success

Anthony Licciardi — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:00:16 +0000

Tanner Scott is back, and he has his slider to thank.

The post Tanner Scott Is Sliding Back to Success appeared first on Pitcher List.

Royals Sign Vince Velasquez To Minor League Contract

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 14:54:28 +0000

The Royals have signed Vince Velasquez to a minors contract and assigned the veteran righty to Triple-A Omaha, as per Velasquez’s MLB.com profile page. Velasquez elected free agency on June 30 rather than accept an outright assignment to the Cubs’ Triple-A squad.

The right-hander signed a minor league deal with Chicago in February, and the Cubs twice selected Velasquez’s contract to the active roster and then quickly designated him for assignment and outrighted him after Velasquez cleared waivers. Because Velasquez has been outrighted in the past, he has the ability to reject any outright assignments in favor of free agency, and he took that route after his previous DFA only to soon re-sign with the Cubs on a fresh minor league contract.

This time around, however, Velasquez has opted for a change of scenery in Kansas City’s organization. While the Cubs’ unending string of pitching injuries would’ve seemed to provide an opportunity for Velasquez to return to Chicago at some point this season, it’s possible he saw the Royals (a likely deadline seller) as a better avenue to an open roster spot when and if K.C. moves some players at the trade deadline.

Velasquez’s two cups of coffee on the Cubs’ 26-man roster saw him toss 3 1/3 scoreless innings over two appearances. This marked Velasquez’s first bit of Major League action since 2023, and the righty has now appeared in parts in 10 MLB seasons since making his debut with the Astros back in 2015. Since his previous big league stint with the Pirates in 2023, Velasquez missed 2024 recovering from elbow surgery before pitching in 2025 in both the KBO League and in the Guardians’ farm system.

The 34-year-old Velasquez can provide the Royals with some depth as either a starter or long reliever, though his numbers with Triple-A Iowa this season are nothing to write home about. Velasquez has a 6.15 ERA and 16.2% walk rate over 33 2/3 innings for Iowa, with a more respectable 26% strikeout rate.

Athletics Place Nick Kurtz, Zack Gelof On Injured List

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 14:31:56 +0000

TODAY: The A’s officially placed Kurtz on the 10-day IL today (retroactive to July 10) due to the right thumb capsule sprain. Catcher Brian Serven was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.

JULY 10: The Athletics are expected to put first baseman Nick Kurtz on the injured list with a right thumb strain, reports Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Kurtz left Wednesday’s game against the Tigers with an illness, but was back in the lineup yesterday. It’s unclear when he suffered the thumb injury.

Kurtz is in the middle of a strong follow-up to his unanimous AL Rookie of the Year campaign. He’s posted a .902 OPS with 20 home runs through 92 games. The first baseman is tied for fifth in the AL in wRC+. Kurtz was expected to draw the start in next week’s All-Star game, with Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. declining the invitation. His status for the exhibition is now in doubt.

Infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof is also headed to the injured list with a knee laceration. That move has been confirmed by the team. Gelof was removed from Thursday’s matchup against the Tigers after sliding into the left field wall to secure a fly ball off the bat of Zach McKinstry. The A’s recalled first baseman Joey Meneses to take his spot on the roster.

Gelof just got off the injured list over the weekend. He required a minimum stint on the IL while nursing a hand injury. The 26-year-old utilityman will now be sidelined for at least the final series before the break and the week to follow. Gelof had struggled in his brief return, but his overall numbers remain strong. He’s put together a 120 wRC+ in 67 games bouncing around the diamond. It’s an impressive turnaround after mounting strikeout issues threatened to derail Gelof following a promising rookie season.

Meneses joined the organization on a minor league pact over the winter. This will be his second big-league stint this year. The 34-year-old is 2-for-14 in limited opportunities with the A’s. Meneses had a couple of decent seasons with the Nationals, but didn’t play in the majors last year. He spent the 2025 season at Triple-A with the Mets.

The A’s got shortstop Jacob Wilson and outfielder Tyler Soderstrom back in the lineup earlier this week. Soderstrom could chip in at first base with Kurtz out. Meneses is drawing the start at the cold corner tonight. Gelof was spending his time in the outfield lately, with Joshua Kuroda-Grauer earning regular opportunities in the infield. Lawrence Butler now has a clearer path to consistent playing time. Jeff McNeil replaced Kurtz on Wednesday and could also see additional at-bats.

Photo courtesy of Sergio Estrada, Imagn Images

Tristan Peters Hits For the Cycle – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/3/2026

Ryan Clark — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 14:00:44 +0000

Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games.

The post Tristan Peters Hits For the Cycle – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 7/3/2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Brewers Place Kyle Harrison On 15-Day Injured List

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 14:00:34 +0000

9:00AM: Harrison provided a positive update to reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) today, saying he is “not too worried” about the injury. Harrison won’t resume throwing for a few days but said his arm is already feeling better than on Wednesday.

8:22AM: The Brewers have placed left-hander Kyle Harrison on the 15-day injured list due to left forearm tightness. The placement is retroactive to July 9. Left-hander Robert Gasser was called up from Triple-A Nashville to take Harrison’s spot on the active roster.

Harrison last pitched on Wednesday, and told reporters (including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) in the aftermath of the start that he had been “battling the last couple weeks” with discomfort on the outside of his left elbow. Both Harrison and Brewers manager Pat Murphy downplayed the seriousness of the injury and felt the southpaw’s condition would improve just with the added rest of the All-Star break.

This IL placement may be just a method of formalizing Harrison’s rest period and allowing him to skip at least one start after the break. However, the rather ominous designation of the injury as forearm tightness may indicate that testing has revealed something more serious, or Harrison’s arm is just not recovering well three days after pitching.

It seems like trying to pitch through the discomfort only caught up to Harrison recently, as he has allowed six earned runs over only 6 2/3 total innings in his last two starts. Even with these couple of duds on his record, Harrison’s ERA is up to only 3.01 over 83 2/3 innings of what has been a breakout season for the former top prospect. Acquired from the Red Sox as part of a six-player offseason trade, Harrison has backed up that solid ERA with outstanding strikeout (29.6%) and walk (5.9%) rates.

Between Harrison’s performance, the eye-popping numbers of ace Jacob Misiorowski, and solid production from the likes of Brandon Woodruff, Shane Drohan, and Logan Henderson, Milwaukee has (again) fielded one of the best rotations in baseball. The pitching has held up despite quite a few notable injuries, including Woodruff recently returning to the 15-day IL due to a new issue with his balky right shoulder.

Even if Harrison’s IL placement is more on the precautionary side and he is able to return in minimal time, the Brewers are still likely to be looking to add pitching at the deadline. Milwaukee has some breathing room in the form of its 7.5-game lead over the second-place Cubs in the NL Central race, but it can’t feel good for the Brewers to have Harrison and Woodruff (two of its top three starters in a playoff series) both sidelined at the All-Star break. If both starters are still health question marks as August 3 approaches, the Brew Crew may feel more motivated to make a higher-profile rotation addition.

MLB News & Moments: Tristan Peters Hits for the Cycle

Pablo Figueroa — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:30:14 +0000

Tristan Peters has quite a night.

The post MLB News & Moments: Tristan Peters Hits for the Cycle appeared first on Pitcher List.

Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 7/11

Rick Graham — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:11:45 +0000

The Best Reliever Streamers for Today with Updated Bullpen Usage Charts

The post Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 7/11 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 7/11/26

Ben Solow — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:08:57 +0000

Speed available on the wire, plus a free closer

The post Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 7/11/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 7/11/26

Carson Picard — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:00:49 +0000

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

The post Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 7/11/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Pirates Designate Cam Sanders For Assignment

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:00:22 +0000

The Pirates have designated right-hander Cam Sanders for assignment, and moved shortstop Konnor Griffin from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL. The two moves clear roster spots for Jacob Gonzalez and Brandon Eisert, who were acquired yesterday from the White Sox.

After making his MLB debut by posting an 8.10 ERA over 6 2/3 innings in 2025, things haven’t improved for Sanders in his second year of big league action. The righty has an 8.68 ERA over 9 1/3 innings and nine appearances, with an even more garish walk rate in 2026 (20.8%) than in 2025 (14.7%).

Sanders’ strikeout rate at least vaulted upwards from 11.8% in his first season to 27.1% this year. This is more in line with his performance in the minor leagues, though Sanders also hasn’t exhibited much control over eight seasons in the Cubs’ and Pirates’ farm systems. The 29-year-old has a 5.04 ERA, 29.35K%, and 18.18BB% over 223 career Triple-A innings.

The DFA comes a day after Sanders was optioned to Triple-A for the maximum fifth time this season, making him expendable in the Pirates’ view. This is the first time Sanders has been designated for assignment and he has never been outrighted in the past, so he’d have to accept an assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers. A waiver claim isn’t out of the question if another team is intrigued by Sanders’ strikeout ability, but chances are Sanders will remain in Pittsburgh’s organization.

It was just a matter of time before Griffin was moved to the 60-day IL, as the shortstop is expected to miss 8-10 weeks due to a torn finger tendon. The 60-day placement means Griffin is out until the first week of September at the absolute earliest.

Chris Paddack Signs With KBO’s Samsung Lions

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:47:02 +0000

The Samsung Lions of the KBO League in South Korea announced that they have signed right-hander Chris Paddack. Ilyo Shinmun (Korean link) reported the transaction prior to the official announcement.

Paddack, 30, expands the scope of his journeyman season. He signed a $4MM deal to join the Marlins this offseason. He made seven appearances with that club before being designated for assignment and then released. He was scooped up by the Reds and made six appearances for that club before he was cut loose again. He signed with the Rangers and pitched in one game for them before being bumped off their roster.

Put together, Paddack logged 57 innings for those three clubs, with uninspiring results. He allowed 6.79 earned runs per nine. His 7.1% walk rate was better than average but he only struck out 15% of opponents.

His prospects have been trending down for a while. He posted an excellent rookie season with the Padres in 2019, pitching 140 2/3 innings with a 3.33 ERA, 26.9% strikeout rate an 5.5% walk rate. But over the next two seasons, his ERA hovered around 5.00 as his strikeout rate dipped to the low 20s. After a trade to the Twins, Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2022 and 2023. Since then, his ERA has continued to be around 5.00, or sometimes well above, as the strikeouts have vanished. He only punched out 16.7% of hitters last year before dropping to 15% this season.

Arms are always in demand but it’s possible that Paddack was limited to minor league offers since hitting the open market last week. Instead, he’ll opt for this overseas opportunity. That will come with a small financial boost for him. Signing with another MLB club wouldn’t give him any extra cash. The Marlins are still on the hook for the remainder of his $4MM salary. Other big league clubs can sign Paddack and only pay him the prorated league minimum. That amount is subtracted from what the Marlins pay and therefore doesn’t put any extra money in Paddack’s pocket.

By joining the Lions, he is presumably getting a few hundred thousand bucks. He is also potentially setting himself up for next year. Had he continued to bounce around MLB in 2026, he probably would have gone into 2027 on a minor league deal somewhere. But if he has a good few months with the Lions, perhaps that will lead to him re-signing with that club or another team in the KBO or perhaps another league like Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

Photo courtesy of Rhona Wise, Imagn Images

Cardinals Outright Jared Shuster

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:41:10 +0000

TODAY: Shuster cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, as per his MLB.com profile page.

JULY 8: The Cardinals announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Luis Gastelum, a move that MLBTR covered yesterday. In a corresponding move, left-hander Jared Shuster has been designated for assignment.

Shuster, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Cards in the offseason. Three times this year, he has been added to the big league roster. Since he is out of options, after a few appearances, each stint has ended with him being designated for assignment. He cleared waivers the first two times.

The most recent selection occurred yesterday, in between games of a doubleheader. The Cards were trying to avoid overworking their primary starters, so they called up Bruce Zimmermann and Hunter Dobbins to handle the bulk work in those contests. Zimmermann threw five innings in the first game, then the Cards put Shuster onto the roster in his place to give them one extra arm for the nightcap.

In the end, the Cards dropped both games of the twin bill. The first one was close, finishing 4-3, but they got trounced 10-2 in the second. A lot of that second result was Shuster’s fault. Dobbins allowed three runs in five innings. Down 3-0, the Cards put Shuster into the game. He put up a zero in the top of the sixth, then the Cards scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-2. They tried to get a few more outs from Shuster and sent him back out for the top of the seventh, but that did not work. The Brewers jumped all over Shuster and he was ultimately charged with seven earned runs while only recording one out in the seventh. That means he has now allowed nine earned runs in nine innings on the year overall.

Based on the way this year has gone, Shuster should be on waivers in the coming days. Assuming he clears and accepts an assignment to Memphis again, he can join the Redbirds and position himself to potentially be added to the roster again the next time the Cards need a fresh arm for the bullpen.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images

Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 7/10: The Hunter & The Hunted

Jake Crumpler — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:24:55 +0000

Jake Crumpler reviews every starting pitcher performance from Friday.

The post Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 7/10: The Hunter & The Hunted appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starts and Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups for Fantasy Baseball (July 6 - July 12)

Nick Mariano — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:21:55 +0000

The All-Star break is nearly here to give us all a breather and take stock of our rosters, but not before finishing the first half strong with our starting pitcher starts/sits for fantasy baseball for the week ahead - Monday, July 6 through Sunday, July 12. As is tradition, this article will cover who is […]

The Opener: Draft, Peters, Red Sox

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 12:17:32 +0000

After Friday’s game was rained out, the Brewers and Pirates will make it up with a doubleheader today at PNC Park. Brandon Sproat and Shane Drohan are expected to start for Milwaukee in the two games, while the Buccos will send Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler to the mound in the twin bill. The 47-47 Pirates are in fourth place in the NL Central and 12.5 games back of first-place Milwaukee, but winning the series against the division champs would likely help Pittsburgh narrow its 4.5-game deficit in the NL wild card race.

1. Draft Day

The first 135 picks of the 2026 MLB Draft will be made today, and rounds 5-20 taking place on Sunday. All eyes are on the White Sox with the first overall selection, and there’s still speculation over who exactly Chicago will select. Most pundits agree that the 1-1 player will be one of UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky, Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, or high school shortstop Grady Emerson, though the Sox could still surprise us with a pick from further down the draft boards. MLB Trade Rumors will have the full list of first-round picks as they’re announced throughout the afternoon, beginning at noon CT.

2. Peters rides the cycle in Pale Hose rout

Speaking of the White Sox, the AL Central leaders enjoyed a 14-1 win over the Athletics on Friday that was highlighted by a cycle from center fielder Tristan Peters. The rookie’s final two hits came in the same inning, as Peters hit both a two-run homer and an RBI triple during Chicago’s eight-run outburst in the bottom of the seventh. Peters is the seventh player in White Sox franchise history to hit for the cycle, and also the second Canadian in MLB history to complete the feat. The cycle continues a breakout year for Peters, acquired in a somewhat under-the-radar trade with the Rays last December. After making his MLB debut in the form of four games with Tampa in 2025, Peters is hitting .303/.357/.484 over 270 plate appearances and playing strong defense as Chicago’s regular center fielder.

3. Red-hot Red Sox run late, but keep rolling

After starting the season with three months of dismal baseball, the Red Sox are now only 1.5 games out of the final AL wild card slot. Boston’s record is still only 44-48, but the Sox are 12-2 in their last 14 games, and extended their winning streak to seven games with Friday’s 6-2 win over the Mets. Simply getting to New York was a victory unto itself for the Red Sox, as plane troubles delayed their arrival by almost a full day. The Sox didn’t get to Citi Field until around 4pm CT Friday in advance of a 6:50pm CT start, and the game was already pushed back from the original 6:15pm start to give Boston more time to arrive and prepare. Wilyer Abreu and Anthony Seigler each hit two-run homers for the Sox, and Sonny Gray limited the Mets to one run over six innings to lower his ERA to 2.54 over 95 2/3 innings this season.

White Sox Trade Jacob Gonzalez, Brandon Eisert To Pirates

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 04:59:23 +0000

The White Sox are sending infielder Jacob Gonzalez and reliever Brandon Eisert to the Pirates for lefty Jaden Woods and the No. 34 pick in the draft, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Pittsburgh will part with minor league arm and its Competitive Balance Round pick to land big-league reinforcements. Both teams have announced the trade.

There was a report in late June that the Pirates were open to moving their CBR-A selection as well as players in their minor league system. They’ve now done both in one deal. Gonzalez debuted this season with the White Sox. He provided near league-average production while playing mostly first base, but was bumped off the roster when Munetaka Murakami returned Friday. Eisert has been a regular in Chicago’s bullpen since last season. He’s scuffled to a 5.93 ERA in 2026.

The trade addresses two of Pittsburgh’s clearest needs. The club lost starting shortstop Konnor Griffin for a couple of months due to a finger injury. The absence of Griffin has pressed utilityman Jared Triolo into a full-time role. Gonzalez isn’t a sure thing, but he possesses much more offensive upside than the glove-first Triolo. He played mostly shortstop at Triple-A this year. The Pirates’ bullpen has the fifth-worst ERA since the start of June. Eisert has missed bats at a career-best 27.4% clip while trimming his walk rate to 6.8%.

“We believe in this team, and we discussed multiple ways to use the compensation pick to strengthen it,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said in a press release. “Jacob Gonzalez can complement Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo on the left side of the infield in Konnor Griffin’s absence. He’s also a versatile, left-handed hitter who has taken significant steps this season, and who we believe in long-term.”

Chicago took Gonzalez with the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft. He had generally underperformed in the minors until breaking out this season. The 24-year-old posted a massive 166 wRC+ in 52 games at Triple-A. Gonzalez slugged 19 home runs and stole eight bases before his call-up. He came into the year with 17 home runs across three pro seasons.

Murakami’s hamstring injury gave Gonzalez a chance to get regular reps at first base with the White Sox. He slashed .244/.323/.360 over 97 plate appearances. Gonzalez recorded 2 Defensive Runs Saved in 29 games at first base. He played one inning at third base and didn’t see any playing time up the middle.

Eisert sits below 90 mph with the four-seamer, but he has a four-pitch mix and gets plenty of extension (95th percentile). His slider and changeup both have whiff rates above 32% this season. Eisert is unlikely to usurp high-leverage southpaws Gregory Soto and Mason Montgomery, but he gives manager Don Kelly another option from the left side.

The White Sox have the first pick in Saturday’s draft. They now have another selection at the end of the first round. The Competitive Balance picks are the only ones that can be traded. The league awards them to the 15 teams using a formula that considers revenue, record, and market size. Trading for the 34th pick increases Chicago’s draft bonus pool to around $20.5MM, per Passan.

Woods was taken in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. He’s operated almost exclusively as a reliever during his minor league career. The 24-year-old has had some big strikeout seasons, but control has been a problem at times. Woods reached Triple-A for the first time this year. He’s struggled to a 9.31 ERA over 10 appearances, though it’s come with a solid 28.3% strikeout rate.

Photo courtesy of Lexi Thompson and Scott Galvin, Imagn Images

AL Central Notes: Jeffers, Keaschall, Vest, Pasquantino

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 04:37:45 +0000

One of the most intriguing players heading into the trade deadline made his long-awaited return to the lineup on Friday. Catcher Ryan Jeffers was back behind the plate for the Twins after missing nearly two months with a fractured hamate bone. The backstop needed just five rehab games to get up to speed.

Jeffers will look to pick up where he left off in the first six weeks of the season. He entered Friday’s action with a 165 wRC+ across 37 games. Jeffers was hitting .295 with seven home runs and 26 RBI through 147 plate appearances before the injury. He’s expected to be one of the most sought-after catchers on the trade market ahead of the August 3 deadline.

The Yankees are known to be interested in Jeffers. The Rays are also looking for catching help. New York had a scout at Friday’s game, per La Velle E. Neal III of the Minnesota Star-Tribune. Tampa Bay also had folks in attendance keeping an eye on Jeffers, notes Darren Wolfson of KSTP.

Here’s more from around the AL Central…

While teams are pursuing Jeffers, the Twins might not be so willing to sell. Owner Tom Pohlad suggested a more aggressive approach than in previous seasons during an interview with reporters today. “The barometer for success going forward is, ‘Let’s win a championship,'” Pohlad said, relayed by Dan Hayes of The Athletic. “And that’s going to require us to make decisions, whether it’s at a trade deadline or in the offseason, that look probably pretty different than decisions we would have made in the past.” The Twins are only a game out of the final Wild Card spot.
The Twins are giving Luke Keaschall reps in center field. The former infielder has started in center the past three games, including tonight against the Angels. Keaschall opened the year as Minnesota’s everyday second baseman, but after he posted -6 Defensive Runs Saved, the club moved him to the outfield. Keaschall has recorded -3 DRS in 99 innings on the grass, with most of his opportunities coming in right field. The Twins have a vacancy in center with Byron Buxton sidelined by a hip injury.
Tigers reliever Will Vest has a stress fracture in his elbow, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters, including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. The injury will not require surgery, and the club expects Vest to pitch again this year. The 31-year-old righty has been an important member of Detroit’s bullpen for several seasons. He picked up a career-high 23 saves last year. Vest has scuffled to a 6.08 ERA in 27 appearances in 2026.
Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino rejoined the club on Friday against the Orioles. He wasn’t in the lineup tonight, but is expected to play this weekend. Pasquantino missed less than a month with a fractured hamate bone. “He worked exceptionally hard to get through this,” manager Matt Quatraro told reporters, including Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “He set his goal really early to get back before the All-Star break, and he had to do a lot of hard work to get here.” Pasquantino is in the middle of his worst offensive season as a big leaguer, with an 81 wRC+ in 68 games.

Photo courtesy of Matt Krohn, Imagn Images

Phillies Release Dylan Carlson

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 02:15:39 +0000

The Phillies have moved on from veteran outfielder Dylan Carlson. He was released after spending a couple of months at Triple-A with the organization. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer was first to report the move.

Carlson joined the Phillies on a minor league agreement in mid-May. He scuffled to a 65 wRC+ in 153 plate appearances with Lehigh Valley. That came after a two-week stretch hitting .175 with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate. Chicago released Carlson from his minor league deal in early May. He broke camp with the big-league club but only appeared in three games before being designated for assignment.

Baltimore added Carlson on a modest deal last season. He bounced up and down as a part-time player for the club. The former top prospect slashed .203/.278/.336 with six home runs over 241 plate appearances. That was enough to earn a major-league gig this year, with some help from an injury to outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Carlson went 0-for-4 with a couple of strikeouts as a Cub.

Carlson was 11% better than league average in his first full season in the majors (2021). Since then, he’s consistently struggled to make meaningful contact. Carlson had a 30.5% hard-hit rate with the Orioles last year. That’s right in line with his career mark of 30.8%. He’s also been a subpar outfielder by Defensive Runs Saved going back to 2024.

Photo courtesy of David Richard, Imagn Images

MLB Sets Home Run Derby Field

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 01:08:10 +0000

The White Sox announced tonight that first baseman Munetaka Murakami will participate in the 2026 Home Run Derby. That means the field is set for the event. The sluggers will take the field at Citizens Bank Park on Monday at 7 pm CT. Here are the participants:

Jac Caglianone, Royals
Junior Caminero, Rays
Willson Contreras, Red Sox
Bryce Harper, Phillies
Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
Ben Rice, Yankees
Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
Jordan Walker, Cardinals

Schwarber leads the league with 32 home runs. He’s on track to threaten 50 homers once again after going deep a career-high 56 times in 2025. Schwarber will be joined in his home venue by teammate Harper. The veteran first baseman won the 2018 edition of the event in D.C. while with the Nationals. Harper beat Schwarber in the finals that year.

Murakami will become the second Japanese-born player to participate in the event. Shohei Ohtani competed in 2021 as a member of the Angels. Murakami was routinely trading the AL home run lead with Aaron Judge before going down with a hamstring injury at the end of May. He’s hit 20 homers in his first 200 MLB at-bats. Murakami was a prolific power hitter during his time in Nippon Professional Baseball, including a 56-homer campaign in 2022.

Walker has developed into a star in his fourth big-league season. The former top prospect entered the year with 27 career home runs. He’s already gone deep 22 times in 2026. Walker leads the league in RBI.

Caminero returns to the competition after losing to Cal Raleigh in the finals last year. He’s in the middle of a ridiculous power surge, having launched 11 home runs in his last 14 games heading into Friday. Caminero has zoomed up to third in the AL in home runs, two behind Yordan Alvarez and one behind Rice.

This year’s event will revert to using swings instead of timed rounds. The participants will get 20 swings in the first round, with the top four players moving on. The semifinals and finals will consist of 15 swings apiece in a head-to-head setup. Rounds can’t end on a home run. If a player goes deep on the final swing of a round, they can continue hitting until they fail to hit a home run.

Photo courtesy of Sam Greene of The Enquirer via Imagn Images

Jacob deGrom Won’t Make Next Start, Could Need IL Stint

Charlie Wright — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 00:00:03 +0000

Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom will not pitch on Sunday, manager Skip Schumaker told reporters, including Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News. deGrom was removed from his outing on Tuesday after five innings with what was initially described as a hip injury. Schumaker said it’s a mild left glute strain. The team hasn’t decided if deGrom will need a stint on the injured list.

“Anything with a hip, or lower half, or arm, you’re definitely concerned,” Schumaker said, relayed by McFarland. “We had a conversation with him, and the way he’s feeling today is better, but you never know until a couple more days of rehab and how he feels.”

deGrom recovered from a rough first inning to deliver five frames of two-run ball against the Angels. He tossed 80 pitches before departing the game. The righty was expected to take the ball this weekend despite the injury, but that plan has now changed.

Injuries have been a massive part of deGrom’s career, though he’s coming off his healthiest season of the decade. The veteran compiled 172 2/3 innings across 30 starts last year. The workhorse season came after he’d totaled 197 1/3 frames from 2021 through 2024. The first two years of deGrom’s tenure in Texas were marred by elbow injuries. He made just nine starts combined between 2023 and 2024.

deGrom has already tossed 100 innings this season, giving him back-to-back campaigns reaching triple-digit frames. He hadn’t surpassed that threshold since 2019 before this stretch. deGrom hasn’t been dominant this year, notching a 3.49 ERA across 18 starts, but he’s been the steadiest member of the Rangers’ rotation. The righty has pushed his strikeout rate back up to 30.4% this year. It dipped to 27.7% in 2025, the first time deGrom has been below 30% since 2017.

Texas is already missing Jack Leiter, who went down with a significant ankle injury. His absence opened a rotation spot for journeyman Cal Quantrill. If deGrom is forced to miss time beyond Sunday, the club could recall pitching prospect Jose Corniell. The 23-year-old worked as a bulk reliever behind Quantrill in his lone MLB appearance. Fellow prospects David Davalillo and Winston Santos are also on the 40-man roster.

Veteran lefty Jordan Montgomery is another candidate to fill deGrom’s spot on the staff. Montgomery has made four rehab starts as he works his way back from an elbow injury. He only got up to 40 pitches in his most recent outing with Triple-A Round Rock, but he could be ready to contribute at the big-league level after another minor league start or two.

Photo courtesy of Jim Cowsert, Imagn Images

Athletics To Place Nick Kurtz, Zack Gelof On Injured List

Charlie Wright — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 22:39:56 +0000

The Athletics are expected to put first baseman Nick Kurtz on the injured list with a right thumb strain, reports Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Kurtz left Wednesday’s game against the Tigers with an illness, but was back in the lineup yesterday. It’s unclear when he suffered the thumb injury.

Photo courtesy of Sergio Estrada, Imagn Images

Lineup Analysis (7/10/26)

Jeff Zimmerman — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 21:21:46 +0000

Injuries have opened up several jobs.

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Twins Acquire Tommy Nance From Blue Jays

Leo Morgenstern — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 21:15:47 +0000

4:15pm: Both clubs have now announced the trade. The Twins transferred right-hander Mick Abel to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot. He first landed on the 15-day IL April 17, so he has already been out more than 60 days. That makes him eligible for reinstatement at any time. He underwent arthroscopic surgery last month and still doesn’t have a clear timeline.

1:52pm: The Twins have acquired right-hander Tommy Nance from the Blue Jays, per reporting from Alden González and Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Blue Jays are receiving minor leaguer Ryan Sprock in return, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Minnesota also receives international bonus pool space, per González. The Twins will need to make corresponding moves to free up space for Nance on their active and 40-man rosters.

The Blue Jays acquired Nance from the Padres in August 2024. The righty proved to be a surprisingly valuable bullpen arm in the second half of their pennant-winning 2025 season, pitching to a 1.99 ERA in 30 appearances. He was mostly limited to a low-leverage role, and he only threw 1 1/3 innings in Toronto’s postseason run, suggesting the team never quite believed his success was sustainable. Yet, to Nance’s credit, his underlying numbers were nearly as impressive as his sub-2.00 ERA. He struck out more than one-quarter of his opponents, generated grounders on more than half the balls they put in play, and never let a pitch leave the yard. Best of all, he had so much success getting hitters to swing at pitches outside the zone that he only walked seven of the 126 batters he faced (5.6%).

Toronto continued using Nance in a low-leverage role in 2026, and he continued to succeed, albeit to a lesser degree. His chase rate is still elite, but his walk rate has climbed, and his opponents have had better luck putting the ball in the air. Through 33 innings, he owns a 3.82 ERA and 3.57 SIERA.

The Twins rank last in MLB with a 5.28 bullpen ERA. Only two of their relievers, Yoendrys Gómez and Andrew Morris, have thrown at least 20 innings with an ERA under 4.00. The 35-year-old Nance has only thrown 159 MLB innings, but that’s more than anyone in Minnesota’s bullpen right now, save for fellow 35-year-old Taylor Rogers, who is having the worst season of his career. Nance is hardly a blockbuster acquisition, but there’s no denying he makes this team better right away.

Despite their bullpen struggles, the Twins have been hot lately. Many thought they would be sellers ahead of the deadline – and they still could be – but they’re only two games back of the White Sox and the Guardians in the AL Central right now, and only one game back of the third Wild Card spot. By making a relatively early trade, it seems like they’re trying to put themselves in a position to justify more significant buying a few weeks from now. They’re also hedging their bets a bit by bringing back some international bonus pool space. In a worst-case scenario, they can always try to flip Nance closer to the deadline, and the bonus pool money will help make up for the loss of Sprock.

Sprock is not a highly-regarded prospect, but his arrow is pointing up. FanGraphs recently ranked him No. 31 in the Twins’ system, giving him a 40 Future Value grade. The 21-year-old is relatively new to catching, but he’s taking to the position well. And while he projects as a glove-first backup catcher, he’s been tearing the cover off the ball at Single-A. In 65 games for the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels this season, Sprock hit .306 with a 144 wRC+, earning Florida State League Player of the Month honors for June and a promotion to High-A.

As for the Blue Jays, this isn’t necessarily an indication that they’re ready to throw in the towel. As disappointing as their season has been, they’re only 1.5 games behind the Twins and 2.5 back of a Wild Card berth. Nance has been good for Toronto, but his average leverage index when entering games is the lowest of anyone currently on the roster. Only once this year has he come into a game in what FanGraphs defines as a high-leverage spot. It sure seems like manager John Schneider doesn’t trust Nance with a game on the line.

Nance isn’t just on the bottom of the bullpen depth chart. He’s also out of options. That means that if the Blue Jays add a reliever or two before the deadline, there’s no small chance they’d have to part with Nance anyway – and possibly for a much lesser return than Sprock (if any return at all). Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Jeff Hoffman, Mason Fluharty, and Braydon Fisher are locks at the back end of Toronto’s arm barn, and Patrick Corbin is valuable inning-eating depth. Spencer Miles will also need a spot if a healthy Max Scherzer pushes him back into a more traditional relief role, as will Yimi García if he ever returns from the IL himself. That doesn’t leave much room.

Pitching injuries have hit the Blue Jays hard this season, particularly in their rotation. They’re a perfect example of the age-old lesson that there’s no such thing as too much pitching depth. So, it’s certainly possible they’ll come to regret trading a healthy, effective reliever to a Wild Card competitor. Nevertheless, it isn’t hard to see their logic. They turned a low-leverage journeyman into a promising young catcher. If they keep losing, all they did was start their selling early. If they turn things around, it won’t be long before they’re shopping for a more trustworthy reliever.

Cardinals, JJ Wetherholt Agree To Extension

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:55:39 +0000

The Cardinals have locked up their rookie infielder. The team announced today that they have signed JJ Wetherholt to an eight-year extension that runs through 2034. That means it buys out what would have been his first three free agent years. It is reportedly worth $112.5MM with no option seasons. The deal can max out at $132MM, implying there are $19.5MM in performance bonuses.

It’s one of the largest guarantees in franchise history, trailing only the $130MM Paul Goldschmidt extension in 2019 and the $120MM Matt Holliday free agent deal from 2010. In terms of recent contract extensions around the league for players under one year of service time, this comes in a bit underneath Kevin McGonigle, Konnor Griffin and Roman Anthony. McGonigle got $150MM, Griffin $140MM (over nine years) and Anthony $130MM.

Wetherholt, now 23, has clearly been a key part of the club’s future for a while now. He was the seventh overall pick in the 2024 draft. He then surged through the minors over the remainder of that year and 2025. He became one of the top ten prospects in baseball heading into this year.

Throughout the most recent offseason, it seemed the Cardinals planned on having him break camp with the club in 2026. As part of their pivot to a youth movement/rebuild, they traded away a few veteran players, including infielders Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan. That left the second base job open for Wetherholt and he took it. He performed well in the spring and the Cards broke camp with him.

Since then, he has done everything he can to cement himself as a viable big leaguer. He has stepped to the plate 395 times. His 15.4% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate are both better than league average. He has hit 13 home runs. He has a .267/.362/.411 batting line and 118 wRC+, indicating he has been 18% better than the league average hitter. He has stolen nine bases without getting caught. He has been credited with 12 Defensive Runs Saved and 16 Outs Above Average at second base. Both of those figures are tops in the majors among second basemen.

Put it all together and FanGraphs has already credited him with 3.6 wins above replacement on the year, with still almost half the season remaining for him to build on that. He’s the favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award.

As the Cards pivot to a new generation, Wetherholt is clearly a huge part of it. The Cards have cemented that with this deal. It’s easily the most significant contract of the Chaim Bloom era so far. He just got the job at the start of the most recent offseason and, as mentioned, spent most of the winter trading guys away. The biggest free agent signing was a $12.5MM deal for Dustin May. This is the first extension Bloom has signed since taking the job.

These deals have become all the rage in MLB lately. As shown in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, there were 16 extensions for guys with under a year of service time from 2006 to 2021. This is the 17th in the past five years. Teams have become very comfortable betting on their top prospects, even with limited big league experience or sometimes none at all. In the case of the Cards and Wetherholt, the club let him get about half a season under his belt before crossing the finish line on a deal. Regardless, he should be a staple of the club well into the next decade.

For Wetherholt personally, he is opting for greater certainty over trying to maximize future earnings. He was on track to reach free agency ahead of his age-29 season. If he continued to put up huge numbers between now and then, he could have been in line for a bigger contract at that time. This deal will push his path to free agency by three years, so he is now slated to hit the open market ahead of his age-32 season. He could still be in line for a nice deal after this extension but position players generally have less earning power in their early-3os compared to their late-20s.

The trade-off, of course, is that he is locking in a massive payday now and cutting off the potential downsides. There are no guarantees in this game and it’s entirely possible that his production falls off or some notable injuries derail his career. With this deal, he will have life-changing money in the bank regardless of how he performs in the next few seasons.

The Cardinals will be hoping this is just the beginning of a great era of the franchise. Despite their ostensible rebuild, they are playing very well this year. They are 48-44 and just three games out of a playoff spot. Young and controllable players like Wetherholt, Jordan Walker, Masyn Winn and Alec Burleson have been part of that success. Prospects like Rainiel Rodriguez, Liam Doyle, Jurrangelo Cijntje and others are on the way. The Cards are betting that there’s a bright future ahead with Wetherholt at the center of it.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported that the two sides had agreed to a long-term deal. Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported the guarantee and eight-year length, as well as the max figure. Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, William Purnell, Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani To Miss Start, Skip All-Star Game Due To Left Knee Issue

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:45:03 +0000

The Dodgers announced that Shohei Ohtani will not be making his start as scheduled this evening due to irritation in his left knee. He will continue to serve as the designated hitter through this weekend series but then will “have some interventions” on the knee to set him up for the second half. As a result, he will not travel to Philadelphia to participate in next week’s All-Star Game. Per Jack Harris of the California Post, Ohtani will not have surgery. He will be getting his knee drained and will likely receive an injection of some kind.

It’s an ominous update for the best player alive. Ohtani has been dealing with this knee issue for a while. He had surgery on the knee in September of 2019, then a member of the Angels. This year’s problems date back about a month, if not longer. On June 11, he was removed from the game with inflammation in that knee, per Harris. Imaging came back clean, per Harris, but he was kept out of the next day’s lineup. He was back in the lineup the next day and made his next start on June 17.

Evidently, the knee has gotten worse recently, as Ohtani won’t start tonight. The club will do a bullpen game instead, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. In the short term, it’s a bummer for fans, both of the Dodgers and fans of baseball in general. Ohtani is the game’s biggest star and he will be missing the midsummer festivities next week. For the club, it would obviously be bad to miss Ohtani for any amount of time, given his immense talents.

Presumably, the Dodgers wouldn’t let him DH for the next few days if there were grave concerns. The club is generally very cautious with its injured players. The strength of the team allows them to prioritize long-term health over a quick return to the field. Whenever one of their players is rehabbing, the Dodgers would prefer they get fully healthy for the playoffs, as opposed to rushing back for regular season games.

It seems there may even be a chance Ohtani doesn’t really miss much time at all. Per Harris, it’s possible he could resume both hitting and pitching after the All-Star Break. That would obviously be a tremendous break for the club, but it will depend on how Ohtani responds to the treatment. If there’s any lingering concern, the club will presumably play things cautiously.

Going forward, it will be a situation to monitor. Even though the injury seems minor, Ohtani’s importance as a player is so large that any potential issue will be magnified, especially as the playoffs get closer.

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Designate Pavin Smith For Assignment

Anthony Franco — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:40:31 +0000

July 10: The Diamondbacks have now officially announced the Smith and Waldschmidt moves.

July 9: The D-Backs are designating first baseman Pavin Smith for assignment, reports Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic. Rookie outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt will be recalled from Triple-A Reno to replace him on the active roster.

That might mark the end of nearly a decade in the organization for Smith, whom the D-Backs selected with the #7 overall pick in 2017. The lefty batter has shown intermittent offensive flashes but ultimately hasn’t provided enough from a bat-first position. Smith has yet to top the 11 home runs or 27 doubles he tallied during his first full big league season in 2021.

Smith was up and down from Triple-A for the next couple seasons. Aside from minor league rehab assignments, he has been in the big leagues since August 2024. Smith popped nine homers with a .270/.348/.547 batting line over 60 games that season, but that hopeful breakout proved short-lived. His strikeout rate spiked the next year, though a jump in his average on balls in play resulted in a solid .258/.362/.434 slash across 288 plate appearances.

That was enough for the D-Backs to roll with Smith as the strong side of a first base platoon this year. They’d traded Josh Naylor at the deadline and focused their offseason resources on starting pitching. Smith would ideally split time with either Tyler Locklear or free agent signee Carlos Santana at first base. That didn’t work out. Locklear has spent the entire season in Triple-A, while Smith and the since-released Santana both struggled and got injured early in the season.

Smith was down from April through the beginning of June. He underwent surgery in mid-April to remove loose bodies from his left elbow. Smith hasn’t hit at all since returning, batting .141 with one homer across 28 games. He has a league average .241/.325/.394 batting line in more than 1600 plate appearances over parts of seven seasons.

Arizona’s first base group has been the worst in MLB by far. Ildemaro Vargas has been one of the league’s least productive hitters since his improbable 24-game hit streak to begin the season. Rookies Jose Fernandez and LuJames Groover have struggled in limited playing time.

D-Backs first basemen have an overall .210/.253/.303 slash line across 366 plate appearances. It’s their most obvious area to address if they buy at the deadline, preferably with a left-handed bat. Cincinnati’s Nathaniel Lowe would seem an obvious target given his affordable $1.75MM base salary. Kody Clemens, Gavin Sheets and Jake Burger are a few others who could be available on the trade front.

Waldschmidt, Arizona’s top prospect, is up for the second time this season. He struggled to make contact consistently in his first look at MLB pitching. Waldschmidt has hit well against Triple-A arms and has been on a nice run since being optioned in mid-June. The D-Backs presumably wouldn’t bring him back up to play sporadically. He should be in the everyday lineup in left or center field, moving one of Max Kepler or Tommy Troy to the bench.

The D-Backs have five days to trade Smith or place him on waivers. He’s playing on a $2.25MM arbitration salary, around $950K of which has yet to be paid. Smith is a little shy of five years of service time and would forfeit his remaining salary if he elects free agency, so he’d very likely accept a Triple-A assignment if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

Astros Designate Braden Shewmake For Assignment

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:37:58 +0000

The Astros have reinstated shortstop Jeremy Peña from the 10-day injured list. Infielder Braden Shewmake has been designated for assignment as the corresponding move. Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reported the moves today.

More to come.

Simplified Analysis: OPS and xFIP

Jeff Zimmerman — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 20:30:41 +0000

Getting down to the basics.

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