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Trade Deadline Outlook: Colorado Rockies

Darragh McDonald — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 03:59:46 +0000

The Rockies have the worst record in the majors and haven’t been good in years. They are in clear sell position. What’s not clear is how they will approach the deadline, as they have a new front office in place.

The previous front office was notorious for not trading away players at peak value, or even when they still had a sliver of value. In 2021, both Trevor Story and Jon Gray were free agents. Despite being clear sellers, the Rockies didn’t trade either. Story rejected a qualifying offer at season’s end, netting the Rockies an extra draft pick in 2022, which they used to select Sterlin Thompson. Gray did not receive a QO and departed for nothing. C.J. Cron had signed a minor league deal with the club prior to that campaign. He went on to have a 28-homer season. The Rockies gave him a two-year extension instead of trading him. The first season of that deal worked fine enough but not the second. Daniel Bard had a renaissance season in 2022, at the age of 37. Instead of trading him, the Rockies extended him, a move that quickly backfired.

There have been some changes since then. The Rockies traded Ryan McMahon and Jake Bird at last year’s deadline, even though McMahon’s contract ran through 2027 and Bird had three-plus years of club control remaining. The club then moved on from general manager Bill Schmidt at the end of the season. Paul DePodesta was hired as president of baseball operations. DePodesta has a more analytical reputation than the previous regime, but we’ve yet to see how he’ll run a trade deadline for the Rox.

Record: 32-50 (0% playoff odds, per FanGraphs)

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Braves Sign Carlos Santana To Minor League Deal

Charlie Wright — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 03:15:00 +0000

The Braves signed first baseman Carlos Santana to a minor league deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. Santana was released by the Diamondbacks on Friday.

Arizona inked Santana to a $2MM deal in the spring. The agreement saw the veteran play just eight games with the club. Santana went down with an adductor strain in the first week of April. The Diamondbacks chose to cut ties with him at the end of his rehab stint. They’re still on the hook for the remainder of his contract. The Braves will owe Santana the big-league minimum for any time spent with the team, which will be subtracted from Arizona’s total.

The 40-year-old Santana did not look like an MLB-caliber bat in his short stint with the Diamondbacks. He went 2-for-24 with a concerning 30.8% strikeout rate. Even as he reached his late 30s, Santana kept his strikeout rate under 20%. It’s a small sample, of course, but that kind of deterioration in contact is likely a sign of decline. Santana’s swinging-strike rate ballooned to a career-worst 14.2% with Arizona.

Atlanta doesn’t need any first base help with MVP candidate Matt Olson locked into everyday reps. The team is largely covered at designated hitter as well, with Dominic Smith putting together a solid season. Drake Baldwin has also spent a decent chunk of his playing time at DH as a way to give him a reprieve from catching duties. The switch-hitting Santana could potentially factor in as an option against lefties. His career OPS is 62 points higher from the right side.

Photo courtesy of Arianna Grainey, Imagn Images

Angels Sign Sammy Peralta To Minor League Deal

Charlie Wright — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 02:21:37 +0000

The Angels added left-hander Sammy Peralta on a minor league deal, the team announced. The reliever was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier this week. Peralta passed through waivers and rejected a minor league assignment. It didn’t take long for him to find a new home.

Colorado grabbed Peralta via waiver claim from the Brewers in early April. He was called up to the big-league club on several occasions, but only totaled two appearances. Peralta permitted three earned runs over 2 2/3 frames. He did notch a bit of a personal milestone in his brief time with the Rockies, recording his first MLB start in his team debut. Peralta served as an opener against the Rangers ahead of righty Tanner Gordon.

This will be Peralta’s second stint in the Angels organization. He joined the club on a minor league deal in May 2025. The lefty reached the majors during the final few weeks of the season, tossing 10 2/3 innings with a 7.59 ERA.

Peralta has a diverse pitch mix for a reliever. He’s routinely shown a four-pitch arsenal during his various stints in the majors and has even added a fifth offering on occasion. The diverse repertoire makes sense given Peralta’s underwhelming velocity. He sits in the upper-80s with his four-seamer and sinker. The latter was a 2025 addition. Peralta has leaned on the sinker more than ever this year, as it has been his most-used pitch. He’s also thrown a sweeper, slider, and changeup at least 14% of the time.

Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images

Mets Outright Zack Short

Charlie Wright — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 01:19:02 +0000

The Mets sent infielder Zack Short outright to Triple-A, according to his MLB transaction tracker. With Francisco Lindor returning to the team on Wednesday, Short was designated for assignment. He’s cleared waivers and will head to Syracuse, unless he rejects the assignment. Short has been outrighted previously and can elect free agency.

The 31-year-old Short appeared in three games with New York. He went 1-for-8 with five strikeouts in his brief tenure on the roster. The Mets grabbed Short off waivers from the Tigers a couple of weeks ago. He hit .167 in 46 plate appearances with Detroit this year.

It’s been a whirlwind campaign for Short, who’s spent time with four organizations since March. He inked a minor league deal with the Yankees over the winter. The Nationals acquired Short in a cash deal shortly before Opening Day. After about a month in Washington’s minor league system, Short was dealt to the Tigers, again for cash. In six weeks with Detroit, Short was DFAed, elected free agency, re-signed with the team, and then was DFAed again.

Short has spent time with five teams across six big-league seasons. He has a 58 wRC+ in 649 plate appearances at the highest level. Short’s main contributions have come through defensive versatility. He’s been a passable defender at second base, third base, and shortstop. With Lindor back and Ronny Mauricio also healthy, Short might have more luck finding another big-league opportunity with a different organization.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Doster, Imagn Images

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/26

Rick Graham — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:35:23 +0000

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

The post Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Marlins Release Christopher Morel

Charlie Wright — Sun, 28 Jun 2026 00:16:21 +0000

First baseman Christopher Morel‘s stint in the Marlins organization is over. After getting outrighted to Triple-A, Morel was released from the Jacksonville roster. Isaac Azout of FishOnFirst was the first to report the move. Morel was designated for assignment last weekend when Griffin Conine returned to the big-league squad.

None of the other 29 teams took a shot on Morel during the waiver process, which wasn’t surprising considering they’d be on the hook for what’s left of his $2MM salary. Now that he’s been released, another club could sign him for the league minimum, which would be subtracted from Miami’s remaining tab.

Morel slashed .162/.219/.206 with an untenable 38.4% strikeout rate in 22 games with the Marlins. While he typically punches out at a well-above-average rate, it usually comes with solid power, but he failed to homer in 73 plate appearances. He chased pitches outside of the strike zone at a career-worst 36.2% clip and compiled a brutal 33.9% called + swinging strike rate.

A versatile yet underwhelming defender, Morel hadn’t played first base as a big leaguer heading into the year. He played 14 games at the position with Miami and was a slightly positive contributor by Defensive Runs Saved. Morel has been subpar with the glove at virtually every other spot, so perhaps he’s found a home at first base.

After breaking in with the Cubs, Morel was traded to the Rays midway through the 2024 season. He’s struggled to produce consistent results at the plate since getting dealt from Chicago. Morel is still just 27 years old, so he could receive some interest from other teams as a low-risk addition. He’s only two years removed from a 21-homer campaign.

Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images

Athletics Acquire Hayden Juenger, Designate Brett Harris For Assignment

Charlie Wright — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 23:05:56 +0000

The A’s have struck a deal with the Blue Jays for right-hander Hayden Juenger, both teams announced. Catcher Owen Carapellotti is heading back to Toronto. Juenger was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays earlier this week when righty Shane Bieber returned. The Athletics DFAed infielder Brett Harris to clear a 40-man spot for Juenger.

The 25-year-old Juenger had his contract selected by Toronto at the end of May. He allowed three earned runs over two innings in his brief time with the big-league club. Juenger earned his first taste of the majors after delivering a strong 2.59 ERA across 21 appearances at Triple-A this year. The righty posted a 27.2% strikeout rate and trimmed his troubling walk rate to 8.7%, one of the best marks of his career.

Juenger didn’t attract any suitors during the Rule 5 draft this winter. He now finds a new home without the requirement of being kept on the MLB roster. The A’s stepped in and executed a trade instead of rolling the dice on the waiver wire process. They parted with a low-level minor league backstop to secure Juenger’s services.

Carapellotti signed with the A’s as an undrafted free agent this past July. The 23-year-old has shown impressive power in a small sample at Single-A, popping eight home runs in 20 games. Carapellotti played four years of college ball at Georgetown. He hit .298 with 14 home runs for the Hoyas during the 2025 campaign.

Harris has been up and down with the A’s in each of the last three seasons. He appeared in just five games this year, primarily as a defensive replacement. Harris has a 77 wRC+ across 213 MLB plate appearances. He’s played both corner infield spots plus second base in the big leagues, though most of his reps have come at third. Harris put together a strong defensive showing in 2025, accruing 5 Defensive Runs Saved in 27 appearances at the hot corner.

The A’s have five days to find a trade partner for Harris or put him on outright waivers. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so Harris’ status will be clarified within a week.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr., Imagn Images

Astros To Recall Miguel Ullola For MLB Debut

Charlie Wright — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 22:43:17 +0000

Right-hander Miguel Ullola is getting his first look in the majors. The Astros are recalling the pitching prospect for his big-league debut, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

Ullola was added to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, so no move is needed there. A 26-man roster change will be required, and Rome adds that right-hander Kai-Wei Teng is likely involved. Teng failed to make it out of the fourth inning against the Tigers today. He was charged with four earned runs on eight hits. The righty is one of just a few Houston arms with minor league options remaining (and the realistic possibility of being demoted).

After bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen, Ullola was moved to a full-time relief role earlier this season. Persistent control issues led the Astros to make that decision. Ullola has posted a walk rate above 13% at every minor league stop, including a 16.4% mark at Triple-A this year. He hasn’t curtailed the free passes since moving to the bullpen, walking six in 10 innings.

The 24-year-old Ullola has shown considerable strikeout ability at each level with an expansive five-pitch arsenal. He’s punched out minor league opponents at a 30% clip across 47 2/3 innings this year. Ullola sits in the mid-90s with the fastball, which he’s thrown about half the time with Sugar Land. He’s only used the changeup on 5.7% of his offerings, but he’s thrown the slider, cutter, and curveball at least 10% of the time.

Unsurprisingly, Ullola has trimmed his arsenal since moving to the bullpen. He’s leaned on the four-seamer, which has averaged 96 mph since the role change. Ullola has mixed in the slider and cutter, while largely ditching the curveball and changeup.

If Teng does get sent down, the Astros are likely headed back to a traditional five-man rotation. After Mike Burrows was briefly bumped to the bullpen, he returned to the rotation, which meant Houston briefly transitioned to a six-man look. Part of the shuffling had to do with reincorporating ace Hunter Brown, who returned in mid-June after missing more than two months with a shoulder injury. Teng showed flashes in a multi-faceted role, particularly in terms of strikeouts, but struggled with efficiency after becoming a starter.

Photo courtesy of Reinhold Matay, Imagn Images

Phillies Sign Tommy Pham To Minor League Deal

Charlie Wright — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 21:15:57 +0000

The Phillies have reached a minor league agreement with outfielder Tommy Pham, reports Jorge Castillo of ESPN. The veteran was most recently in the Orioles organization. Castillo adds that Pham can opt out of the deal on July 25.

Pham is now with his third club in three months. He inked a minor league deal with the Mets shortly before Opening Day. The 38-year-old spent two weeks with the big-league team in mid-April. He went 0-for-13 and was designated for assignment before the end of the month. Pham latched on with the Orioles midway through May. He was granted his release after 16 games at Triple-A.

Baltimore didn’t seem like it could provide a path to a roster spot for Pham. The Orioles can barely find playing time for Tyler O’Neill, a right-handed corner outfielder in a similar mold. Pham was a long shot to reach the majors with the organization. He’ll now have about a month to find a way onto Philadelphia’s roster. There’s a much clearer route with the Phillies, who are down Adolis Garcia for multiple months and Johan Rojas for the season.

It was four teams ago (and those are just the MLB stints), but Pham had a stretch as an above-average bat as recently as 2024. He opened the campaign with 297 plate appearances of a 104 wRC+ with the White Sox. The veteran struggled in subsequent stints with the Cardinals and Royals to close the season. Pham earned semi-regular playing time with the Pirates last year. He posted a .700 OPS over 120 games, which wasn’t good enough to earn a big-league deal over the winter.

The Phillies have already made a move to address their outfield depth, adding Derek Hill in a small trade with the White Sox. Hill has quickly endeared himself to his new team, hitting .357 with a pair of ninth-inning home runs, including a game-winner. Philadelphia is reportedly eyeing the trade market for more outfield help.

Prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. has earned the majority of the reps in right field recently. He’s off to a slow start in his first taste of the majors, going 4-for-30 in a small nine-game sample. Brandon Marsh is at his best in left field, but he has experience in center and right, so the club has some flexibility there. Pham doesn’t have the chops to play center field at this stage of his career, but he was worth 5 Defensive Runs Saved in left field last season. The ability to play the field is important on a team that has a locked-in DH in Kyle Schwarber.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 6/26: I’m A Cantillo Rider

Nick Pollack — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 20:41:19 +0000

Nick Pollack reviews every starting pitcher performance from Friday.

The post Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 6/26: I’m A Cantillo Rider appeared first on Pitcher List.

Check Out The MLBTR Newsletter!

Charlie Wright — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 20:17:10 +0000

Have you checked out the MLBTR newsletter lately? We’ve added new features!

The newsletter now includes a weekly spotlight of our This Day In Baseball tool. The page highlights the top historical MLBTR posts on the current date. Users can take a spin through the tool here. It’s available in the Tools dropdown on the homepage.

We’ve also added a weekly check-in for season-long awards. The Thursday edition of the newsletter features a rotating ranking of the top three players in the MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year races. Each update tracks player movement up and down the leaderboard.

We’ll be adding more cool items soon! Become a bigger part of the MLBTR community. Join the FREE newsletter!

Cole Ragans To Undergo Elbow Surgery

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 18:35:14 +0000

JUNE 27: Ragans will undergo surgery on July 1, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who will perform the procedure, will not determine the extent of the surgery until then.

JUNE 23: Royals manager Matt Quatraro says that left-hander Cole Ragans will likely require some kind of surgery on his elbow. “We anticipate it being a surgical procedure,” Quatraro said, per Jaylon T. Thompson of the Kansas City Star. “We don’t know, as of right now, what it means. He’s got to see another doctor as well, but we anticipate it being surgical.” Ragans is already on the 60-day injured list.

The lack of detail in that update mean a wide variety of possibilities are still on the table. Elbow surgery can, on the low end, mean an absence of just a few weeks. For an extreme example, Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal recently underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his elbow. He was only on the injured list for about six weeks. The other end of the spectrum would be Tommy John surgery, which usually requires 14 months or more of recovery time.

Regardless, it’s an unfortunate update for Ragans. He first landed on the IL a week into May with an elbow impingement. A couple of weeks later, he made one rehab appearance, but that was shut down due to elbow stiffness. Ten days ago, Quatraro said that Ragans woke up not feeling well and would be sent for more testing. Though there still aren’t a lot of details available, it seems the testing is pointing towards surgical intervention.

It’s the latest blow in a Royals season that appears to be going off the rails. They came into the campaign as a potential contender on the strength of their rotation, which included Ragans, Kris Bubic, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Noah Cameron. Injuries have split up that group. In addition to Ragans, Bubic has been out over a month due to elbow soreness. Bubic made a rehab appearance a couple of weeks ago but experienced some shoulder discomfort and hasn’t yet restarted his rehab assignment.

The bullpen has also taken a few hits, with Carlos Estévez, Nick Mears and James McArthur all currently on the IL. On the position player side of things, Maikel Garcia landed on the shelf earlier today, joining Jonathan India, Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Though he’s not on the IL, Bobby Witt Jr. hasn’t been in the lineup for several days due to a knee sprain.

Thanks to all those issues, the Royals are 33-46 on the year. They are technically only 6.5 games back of a playoff spot in a weak American League field, but it is going to be difficult to make gains with so many key contributors on the injured list.

Photo courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Imagn Images

Orioles Claim Dom Keegan, Designate Kyle Nicolas

Connor Byrne — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 18:27:33 +0000

The Orioles announced that they have claimed catcher Dom Keegan off waivers from the Rays and optioned him to Double-A Chesapeake. In other moves, they designated right-hander Kyle Nicolas for assignment and reinstated lefty Cade Povich from the 15-day injured list. The Orioles optioned Povich to Triple-A Norfolk.

More to come…

Sit/Start Week 14: Reviewing All Starting Pitcher Matchups From 6/29 – 7/5

Lucas Zenobi — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 18:00:50 +0000

Lucas Zenobi scores every starting pitcher matchup for the week ahead.

The post Sit/Start Week 14: Reviewing All Starting Pitcher Matchups From 6/29 – 7/5 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Blue Jays Place Jesús Sánchez On IL

Connor Byrne — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:39:09 +0000

The Blue Jays have placed outfielder Jesús Sánchez on the 10-day injured list with a right ankle sprain, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports. To take his roster spot, Toronto recalled outfielder Yohendrick Piñango from Triple-A Buffalo.

Sánchez suffered the injury when he crashed into the wall in left field while making a catch in the Blue Jays’ loss to the Rangers on Friday. He left the game in the seventh inning as a result. X-rays came back negative for a fracture, per Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling, but the injury is serious enough to require at least a 10-day stint on the shelf.

Sánchez, whom Toronto acquired from Houston for outfielder Joey Loperfido in the offseason, has gotten into 73 games, started 58 and logged significant time in both outfield corners. Despite a career-low 4.3 percent walk rate, the 28-year-old has slashed a solid .274/.316/.437 (107 wRC+) with seven home runs in 234 plate appearances. He has drawn just three free passes in 52 trips to the plate this month, which helps explain his subpar .643 June OPS. But Statcast is bullish on Sánchez, whose expected stats (.277 xBA, .457 xSLG and .335 xwOBA) suggest he has deserved better results than he has gotten. Defensively, though, Sánchez has earned poor grades. Despite boasting 74th-percentile arm strength, he has accounted for minus-7 Fielding Run Value, minus-6 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-6 Outs Above Average.

With Sánchez on the shelf, Toronto is starting Piñango in left and Nathan Lukes in right against Texas on Saturday. Those two have logged a matching 113 wRC+ over a combined 298 plate appearances this year. They are likely to get the lion’s share of playing time alongside center fielder Daulton Varsho in Sánchez’s absence. Myles Straw is also in the fold, while Addison Barger is working back from his own IL stint. Barger, who has played just eight games this season, has been down since May 10 with right elbow inflammation. Toronto’s injury tracker at MLB.com indicates he may return by mid-July. Sánchez could also make it back by then if this is just a mild ankle sprain.

Tyler Beede Elects Free Agency

Connor Byrne — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:00:44 +0000

After spending the first few months of the season with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in Iowa, right-hander Tyler Beede has elected free agency, per his transaction log at MLB.com. It is unclear if Beede exercised an opt-out in his contract.

Now 33 years old, Beede was a prospect of note in his younger days. The Blue Jays took Beede 21st overall in the 2011 draft, but he elected to attend Vanderbilt instead. Three years later, the Giants chose Beede 14th overall in the 2014 draft. He debuted in 2018 with San Francisco in 2018, though he has since struggled to a 5.55 ERA with a 19.6 percent strikeout rate, a 10 percent walk rate and a 45.3 percent ground-ball mark in a combined 201 innings with the Giants, Pirates and Guardians. Beede had more success keeping runs off the board in 2023 in Japan, where a stellar 57.4 percent grounder rate helped him to a 3.99 ERA in 49 2/3 frames with the Yomiuri Giants.

While Beede returned to the majors in 2024, he recorded a bloated 8.36 ERA in 14 innings with the Guardians. He has not appeared in the bigs since then. Beede opened last season with the Twins’ Triple-A team in St. Paul, but they released him after he gave up eight earned runs in nine innings of work. The journeyman went on to short 2025 stints with the the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League and the Diablos Rojos of the Mexican League, but his woes continued in both places. Beede registered a 5.48 ERA in 21 2/3 innings with the Ducks and a 7.43 mark in 13 1/3 frames in Mexico.

This year has been a similar story for Beede, who was tagged for six earned runs on five hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning against Buffalo on Thursday. Unless Iowa re-signs him, that will go down as his last outing with the team. Over 13 appearances and 22 2/3 innings with club, Beede pitched to an unsightly 12.71 ERA while allowing 33 hits and posting 22 strikeouts against 18 walks. The Cubs’ pitching staff has dealt with a rash of injuries at the MLB level this year, but Beede clearly did not perform well enough to merit another big league look. He is now back on the market.

Shane Drohan is Surprising Everybody

Jack Foley — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 17:00:26 +0000

Yeah, I didn't know about him either.

The post Shane Drohan is Surprising Everybody appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 6/27 & 6/28 & 6/29

Nick Pollack — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:54:34 +0000

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

The post Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 6/27 & 6/28 & 6/29 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Blue Jays Select Sean Keys, Option Davis Schneider

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:42:13 +0000

JUNE 27: The Blue Jays have selected Keys’ contract, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports. To clear room on their 26-man roster, they optioned Schneider to Triple-A Buffalo. This is the second time this year the Jays have optioned Schneider, who has slumped to a .153/.282/.296 line with three homers in 118 trips to the plate. Schneider entered the season with two years and 29 days of service time. Depending on how long Schneider is down, it could jeopardize his chances of reaching three years’ service time, becoming eligible for arbitration in the offseason, and remaining on track to hit free agency after 2029.

JUNE 26: The Blue Jays are calling up infielder Sean Keys, reports Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. The Jays will need to make corresponding moves to add Keys to both the 40-man and active rosters. He probably won’t be officially added until Saturday, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.

Keys, 23, was a fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft. He got into 22 Single-A games after that draft selection, making 98 plate appearances. His 21.4% strikeout rate was around average while he drew walks at a strong 13.3% clip. He slashed .293/.378/.451 for a 134 wRC+. He spent 2025 at the High-A level with more strong results. He hit 19 home runs and drew walks at a 16.3% clip. Despite a low .250 batting average on balls in play, he slashed .217/.365/.408 for a 119 wRC+.

He has been even better here in 2025. He started at Double-A and got promoted to Triple-A earlier this month. Between those two stops, he already has 21 homers on the year. His 23.1% strikeout rate is fine and his 13.6% walk rate quite strong. He has a combined .284/.409/.619 line and 164 wRC+ on the year. Baseball America lists him as the club’s #14 prospect, with his bat receiving much more praise than his speed or his glovework.

Given that impressive run of strong results from the batter’s box, the Jays will call him up to see if he can give their big league lineup a jolt. What remains to be seen is how they will fit him in defensively. Keys has only ever played first or third base in his professional career. Nicholson-Smith reported this week that the Jays had started thinking about getting Keys some corner outfield reps, but that hasn’t happened in any official game capacity yet.

The Jays have Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as their regular first baseman, Kazuma Okamoto at third and George Springer as the regular designated hitter. Guerrero has been having a rough season, relative to his own lofty standards. He only has four home runs. He has missed some time this month with some back tightness, without going on the injured list. Perhaps the presence of Keys will allow him to head to the IL or simply just sit more often.

Okamoto’s first MLB season has seen him strike out a lot but he leads the team with 18 home runs, more than double anyone else on the squad. He will stay in the lineup, though perhaps he could spend more time at first if Guerrero is going to take some time off. Okamoto did play some left field in Japan but made just 26 appearances there after the 2019 season.

Springer hasn’t played the field yet this year but logged over 400 innings in the outfield last year. Manager John Schneider told Matheson earlier this month that the Jays were considering putting Springer in right field from time to time. If Springer were to put on his glove occasionally, that could cut into the playing time of other outfielders. The Jays use Nathan Lukes and Jesús Sánchez mostly against righties, while Myles Straw and Davis Schneider see more time against lefties.

Time will tell how the Jays make the playing time work but it’s understandable that they would look boost their lineup. The team has a collective .249/.311/.391 line and 96 wRC+ this year, putting them in the bottom third of the clubs in the majors. They have a lackluster 39-42 record, though that’s enough for them to be tied for a playoff spot in the weak American League field. Any kind of edge could be a difference-maker in that tight race, so they’ll see if Keys can help them unlock some more offense.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

TWF 155 – Jac-Jax Attack

John Ke — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:30:39 +0000

Yes, they have many powers

The post TWF 155 – Jac-Jax Attack appeared first on Pitcher List.

2026 MLB Mock Draft

Trevor Powers — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:30:12 +0000

Following the Draft Combine, a new mock leading up to the 2026 Draft.

The post 2026 MLB Mock Draft appeared first on Pitcher List.

Mets Reinstate Christian Scott From 15-Day IL

Charlie Wright — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:19:48 +0000

JUNE 27: The Mets have reinstated Scott and optioned lefty Tyler Thornton to Triple-A Syracuse in a corresponding move. Scott will start against the Phillies on Saturday.

JUNE 21: Mets righty Christian Scott emerged from a bullpen session on Sunday without any issues. He’s working his way back from a right hip impingement. Scott is on track to return to the club sometime next weekend, assuming he avoids any setbacks, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He’ll be first eligible to come off the 15-day IL on Saturday.

Injuries had already trimmed New York’s rotation to three reliable options when Scott went down. He wasn’t providing much length, but the young righty had delivered a 3.10 ERA through nine starts before the hip issue popped up. Scott’s absence left Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta to stabilize a pitching staff missing Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes.

The 27-year-old Scott was one of the top pitching prospects in the organization when he debuted in 2024. He posted middling results over nine starts, then went down with a UCL injury midway through his first big-league campaign. The elbow issue ultimately required Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of 2025.

Scott made his return to the majors near the end of April. His repertoire has improved, despite coming back from a significant medical procedure. He’s added more than a tick to his four-seamer. Scott is throwing a slightly slower sweeper, with more drop and horizontal break. It’s been his best swing-and-miss pitch (32.9% whiff rate). After throwing a handful of cutters in 2024, he’s using the pitch 17% of the time this year. It’s his best offering by Run Value. Scott has a solid 26.4% strikeout rate, though it’s come with a double-digit walk rate.

Scott’s injury briefly gave Tobias Myers an opportunity as a starter. The former Milwaukee Brewer was recalled to face the Reds on Monday. Myers was pounded for seven earned runs and failed to get out of the second inning. He’s now back in a relief role. David Peterson had been bumped to the bullpen, but he’ll get another shot to start tonight against Philadelphia. With Senga back and Sean Manaea now working as a starter, it could be a brief return to the rotation for Peterson.

Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images

Two-Start Starters: Week 14

Will Orsland — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 16:00:34 +0000

Which two-start starters you should start or question?

The post Two-Start Starters: Week 14 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Rockies Release Erasmo Ramirez

Connor Byrne — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:58:46 +0000

The Rockies have released veteran right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com.

The well-traveled Ramirez began the season in the Mexican League with los Algodoneros del Unión Laguna. Although Ramirez yielded 11 runs on 17 hits and two walks over 12 innings with the club, the Rockies took a flier on the 36-year-old in early May. After signing a minor league deal, Ramirez endured an even worse stretch in 10 appearances and seven starts with Triple-A Albuquerque. Across 31 innings in the offensively charged Pacific Coast League, he pitched to a sky-high 11.90 ERA. Ramirez surrendered a similarly jaw-dropping 50 hits, including eight home runs, while posting just 19 strikeouts against 16 walks.

The pitching-starved Rockies ranked 25th in the majors in ERA (4.59) when they signed Ramirez, who they hoped would eventually work his way back to the bigs. They are now dead last in that category (5.51), which is the main reason they own a major league-worst 32-50 record. However, Ramirez’s woeful 2026 performance made it clear he would not have done anything to help the Rockies’ cause. The team moved on as a result.

While this has been a brutal season for Ramirez, the Nicaragua native has put together a long and respectable career since he debuted with the Mariners 14 years ago. Also a former Ray, Red Sox, Met, Tiger and Twin, Ramirez pitched in the majors in each season from 2012-25. Over 860 innings and 336 appearances (96 starts), he has recorded a 4.34 ERA with an 18% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and a 43.8% ground-ball rate.

Image courtesy of Matt Krohn – Imagn Images.

The Stash List Week 14: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026

John Villavicencio — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:30:28 +0000

Top 10 pitching prospects to stash in redraft league.

The post The Stash List Week 14: Top 10 Pitching Prospects to Stash in 2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 6/20/26

Ben Solow — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:26:15 +0000

Kyle Teel is a widely available catcher who should help in most leagues

The post Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 6/20/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Buy & Sell 6/25 – Identifying Who to Add & Who to Drop

Ben Pernick — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 15:15:42 +0000

Ben Pernick recommends the hottest and coldest players to add and drop.

The post Buy & Sell 6/25 – Identifying Who to Add & Who to Drop appeared first on Pitcher List.

A’s Prospect Wei-En Lin To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:47:20 +0000

Left-handed pitching prospect Wei-En Lin will be undergoing Tommy John surgery, MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos reports. Given the usual recovery timeline, Lin will be sidelined until August 2027 at the earliest, so it is very possible the procedure wipes out both the rest of his 2026 campaign and his entire 2027 season.

A $1.3MM international signing for the Athletics in 2024, the 20-year-old Lin has already advanced to Triple-A in his second pro season. Lin posted a 1.93 ERA, 26.6% strikeout rate, and 6.5% walk rate over 10 starts and 51 1/3 innings with Double-A Midland this season and got the call to Triple-A Las Vegas earlier this month before things started going haywire.

Lin was rocked for eight earned runs over his first two Triple-A starts, lasting just 1 2/3 innings over those two outing. A placement on the injured list followed on June 14, and it is fair to assume that Lin’s elbow issues may have played a role in his immediate struggles in Triple-A (to say nothing of the challenge faced by any pitcher in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League).

Had things gone differently both health-wise and results-wise for Lin, he might’ve been in line for his first trip to the majors before the 2026 season was over. The A’s might not have felt a need to rush a 20-year-old pitcher, yet Lin might have conceivably provided at least some bullpen help for a pitching-needy Athletics club that hopes to remain in the playoff chase. Instead, Lin now likely won’t be a factor until the A’s leave Sacramento for their new home in Las Vegas.

Lin pitched for Chinese Taipei during the World Baseball Classic, and his strong performance this season earned him some attention in league-wide prospect rankings. Baseball America’s June update to its top-100 prospect list cites Lin as the 70th-best minor leaguer in the sport, while MLB Pipeline ranks Lin 88th. Lin isn’t a hard thrower and could yet add velocity, but his low 90s fastball is just one of four pitches that the left-hander can consistently throw for strikes. BA and Pipeline give all four of Lin’s pitches (a fastball, changeup, curveball, and slider) at least a 50 grade, and Lin has also experimented with a splitter.

MLB Rumor Roundup: 6/27

Griffey Geiss — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:42:53 +0000

Diving into recent talk, transactions, and trends around the league!

The post MLB Rumor Roundup: 6/27 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Is It Legit? 6/26/2026: Jose Siri, Drew Rasmussen, C.J. Abrams

Ryan Clark — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:30:32 +0000

Are Jose Siri, Drew Rasmussen, and CJ Abrams for real?

The post Is It Legit? 6/26/2026: Jose Siri, Drew Rasmussen, C.J. Abrams appeared first on Pitcher List.

Tristan Peters Hits a Grand Slam – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 6/26/2026

Ryan Clark — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:00:12 +0000

Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games.

The post Tristan Peters Hits a Grand Slam – Fantasy Baseball Hitting Recap 6/26/2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Cubs Place Phil Maton On 15-Day Injured List

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:38:09 +0000

The Cubs placed Phil Maton on the 15-day injured list on Friday, as the right-hander is dealing with right knee tendinitis. David Peterson (acquired from the Mets earlier this week) was officially activated in the corresponding move, and the southpaw will make his Cubs debut as the starting pitcher in today’s game with the Brewers.

Maton missed just under three weeks in April with the same injury, and Cubs manager Craig Counsell told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Vinnie Duber and other reporters that “we also feel like we’re taking some steps back with the health. If we can maybe use this time — and possibly the All-Star break — to get his health as good as we can get him for the second half, that’s important. Because we need a good version of Phil Maton.”

The recurring knee issue has very likely contributed to Maton’s shaky season. Maton signed a two-year, $14.5MM free agent deal last November, but has thus far contributed a 6.08 ERA over 26 2/3 innings in a Cubs uniform. Maton’s 3.90 SIERA is significantly better, as the veteran reliever has been unlucky in the form of a .365 BABIP. That said, Maton’s 11.5% walk rate is the worst of his 10 Major League seasons, and his 23.8% strikeout rate is far below the 32.7K% he posted with the Cardinals and Rangers in 2025.

Maton is now the 11th pitcher on Chicago’s IL, as the Cubs’ entire staff continues to be ravaged by the injury bug. The Peterson trade was made to try and help a rotation that is down five starters, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has stated that adding pitching is the natural focus as the deadline approaches. Of course, that assumes the Cubs can remain in contention in the wake of all these injuries. Chicago is still 44-38, but a scorching 27-12 start has now given way to a 17-26 record in the team’s last 43 games.

Some internal rotation help could be coming sooner than expected, since Counsell said Jameson Taillon may be able to return for one abbreviated start before the All-Star break. Taillon hasn’t pitched since June 7 due to a hamstring injury that was expected to sideline the righty until the second half, but Taillon has improved to the point that his timeline may be slightly shorter.

Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 6/27

Rick Graham — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:31:19 +0000

The Best Reliever Streamers for Today with Updated Bullpen Usage Charts

The post Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 6/27 appeared first on Pitcher List.

MLB News & Moments: Payton Tolle Stifles the Yankees

Pablo Figueroa — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:30:46 +0000

The White Sox are feeling 22.

The post MLB News & Moments: Payton Tolle Stifles the Yankees appeared first on Pitcher List.

The Opener: Misiorowski, Meyer, Red Sox, Yankees

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:52:25 +0000

The White Sox laid a 22-1 beatdown on the Royals on Friday, tying the second-highest run total in Chicago’s 126-year history in the majors. Tristan Peters‘ six-RBI night was fueled by a grand slam in the sixth inning, while Miguel Vargas and Jacob Gonzalez also collected five RBI apiece. The emphatic victory and the Guardians’ 3-1 loss to the Mariners puts the White Sox a game ahead of Cleveland for first place in the AL Central.

1. Miz keeps throwing the heat

Speaking of widening leads, the Brewers are now a comfortable 7.5 games ahead of the Cubs in the NL Central race after Milwaukee topped its division rival by a 6-2 score on Friday. Jacob Misiorowski tied his season high with four walks, but held the Cubs to one run on two hits over six innings while striking out eight. As usual, Misiorowski hit a velocity-related milestone, as his 105.5mph fastball in the first inning marked a new career best for the phenom. It also tied the third-fastest pitch ever recorded since Statcast was incorporated in 2008. Kyle Harrison starts today as the Brewers look for their sixth straight victory, while the newly-acquired David Peterson is set to make his first start for Chicago.

2. Meyer, Marlins stay hot

Max Meyer, Michael Petersen, and Calvin Faucher combined to hold the Cardinals to just three hits in the Marlins’ 4-0 shutout victory on Friday. Meyer did a lot of the heavy lifting with seven shutout frames, and right-hander is now 9-0 with a 2.60 ERA, 26.7% strikeout rate, and 9.0% walk rate over 97 innings and 17 starts this season. The secondary metrics (like a 3.70 SIERA) aren’t quite as impressed with Meyer’s work, but he has been rolling lately with a 1.78 ERA in his last 30 1/3 innings of work. The Marlins are now 17-5 in June, as the club’s strong play has brought them within a game of an NL wild card berth.

3. Tensions flare in The Rivalry

The Yankees and Red Sox are at opposite ends of the AL East standings, but Boston has now won the first two games of the four-game set between the two longtime foes. Friday’s 6-1 Sox victory saw the benches empty (just for some jawing and glaring rather than brawling) after Willson Contreras wasn’t pleased by a couple of relatively inside pitches from Will Warren during a fifth-inning walk. Contreras had homered and hit an RBI single in his previous two plate appearances, and marked his walk with a big bat flip that drew Warren’s attention. Gerrit Cole looks to get New York back in the win column in today’s game, as Cole is set to start against Boston rookie Jake Bennett.

Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 6/27/26

Carson Picard — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 12:05:22 +0000

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

The post Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 6/27/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starts and Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups for Fantasy Baseball (June 22 - June 28)

Nick Mariano — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 11:44:07 +0000

Let's make sure our rotations are in order with a refreshed starting pitcher starts/sits for fantasy baseball for the week ahead - Monday, June 22 through Sunday, June 28. This article will cover who is pitching, their opponent, and a confidence/startability score based on our exceptional tools. We do this to supply you with a […]

Angels Fire GM Perry Minasian, Hire John Mozeliak As Interim GM

Anthony Franco — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 04:59:03 +0000

The Angels announced a surprise change at the top of baseball operations. Los Angeles has fired general manager Perry Minasian and hired longtime Cardinals executive John Mozeliak as interim GM.

Mozeliak’s official title is baseball operations consultant. He’ll take over daily roster maintenance in the short term but is apparently not under consideration for that position full time. The club announced that Mozeliak is being brought in to “(refine) a baseball operations strategy and (assist) the organization in its search for a new general manager.” They didn’t specify how long they expect that search to last, but Alden González of ESPN writes that Mozeliak is expected to remain with the organization through the end of the calendar year.

Minasian is out after a five-plus year run as general manager. Team president Molly Jolly released a statement in the press release. “Perry has been a valued leader who has worked tirelessly over the last six years to strengthen our baseball operations department,” Jolly said. “I am grateful for his dedication, insight and many contributions to our organization.”

The Halos hired Minasian over the 2020-21 offseason. They’d made the playoffs just once in the previous 11 seasons and were halfway through their window of club control over Shohei Ohtani. Minasian took over a roster with two of the best players in MLB but sorely lacking from a depth perspective without much in the minor league pipeline. It was more of the same during his front office hierarchy, which was characterized by a continued inability to put a capable supporting cast around Ohtani (for three seasons) and Mike Trout.

Los Angeles has systematically refused to rebuild, a mandate that spans multiple front office regimes and presumably comes directly from owner Arte Moreno. They’ve tried to patch things together with mid-level free agent signings and by drafting college players whom they’d expedite through the minor leagues.

While that approach has panned out with shortstop Zach Neto, their other top picks under Minasian have yet to make a significant impact. They’ve selected Sam Bachman, Nolan Schanuel and Christian Moore with top 15 overall picks between 2021-24. Schanuel is a low-end regular at first base. Bachman has battled injuries and wound up in relief. It’s still too early to judge on Moore, who has raked against minor league pitching but struggled in his first 58 MLB games while trying to find a defensive fit.

That’d perhaps be less of an issue if they were finding value beyond the first round, but that didn’t really happen. The Angels selected Ky Bush with their second-round pick in 2021. They punted their next two second-round choices to sign Noah Syndergaard and Tyler Anderson, respectively.

Ohtani’s free agency after the 2023 season was a clear organizational crossroads. The Angels were a few games back in the Wild Card picture at the deadline and decided to go for it. They pushed in for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López, sending Bush and then-prospect Edgar Quero to the White Sox for the impending free agent righties. More notable is that they took Ohtani off the trade market, reportedly the second straight year in which Moreno stepped in to kill the possibility of dealing the sport’s best player.

It immediately went south. The Angels went 8-19 in August to fall out of playoff position. They placed Giolito, López and other impending free agents on waivers to dump their salaries and avoid paying the luxury tax. Ohtani would depart for a second-round draft pick just months after the Halos could’ve commanded a franchise-altering return. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently reported that the Rays had floated a prospect package involving Junior Caminero and Carson Williams for a couple months of Ohtani’s services.

The Ohtani compensation pick has been emblematic of the team’s overall approach. They used that selection on Dallas Baptist righty Ryan Johnson, who sat out the rest of the 2024 season. The Angels jumped Johnson directly to MLB as a reliever last year. He struggled and was optioned all the way to High-A in May to build up as a starter. Johnson has been up and down from Double-A this season and has an 8.21 ERA in 34 major league innings. He’s still one of the team’s better prospects, but there hasn’t been any sign of an organizational development plan.

There has been a similar amount of turnover in the dugout. The Angels had four full-time managers over Minasian’s GM tenure, plus a half-season from Ray Montgomery on an interim basis while Ron Washington was absent for health reasons. Minasian inherited Joe Maddon, who was fired midway through the ’22 season. Phil Nevin got a season and a half before the Halos hired Washington. They moved on from him last offseason. After a reported pursuit of Albert Pujols fell apart, they hired Kurt Suzuki on an atypically short one-year contract. That lined him up with Minasian, whose deal expires at the end of 2026.

The Angels have gone 392-500 since the start of 2021. Their 63-99 record two seasons ago is the worst in franchise history. They’re one of four teams — along with the Pirates, Rockies and Nationals — that hasn’t made the playoffs in the last five years and have the sport’s longest active drought at 11 seasons.

There’s no real reason to believe they’re on the verge of a turnaround. This year’s 34-48 start puts them on a 67-win pace and ties them with the Royals for the worst record in the American League. While they’re technically only 5.5 games back of a Wild Card spot, that’s far more about the state of the AL playoff field. Their draft strategy perennially leaves them with one of the sport’s weakest farm systems. Baseball America ranked their minor league pipeline 28th in MLB entering the season. Last year’s #2 overall pick Tyler Bremner is their only prospect on BA’s Top 100 list.

Minasian certainly doesn’t deserve all the blame. Moreno’s intervention in baseball operations has spanned multiple front offices. The GM inherited the disastrous Anthony Rendon contract and dealt with varying payroll limits, particularly after the team’s local television deal fell apart. The Angels haven’t gone beyond their three-year, $63MM contract for Yusei Kikuchi over the past five seasons. Their only other signees for more than $30MM were Raisel Iglesias (whose salary they dumped a few months into a four-year deal), Tyler Anderson, and Robert Stephenson.

The challenge will now fall on Mozeliak, at least in the short term. The 57-year-old had a long and generally successful run leading baseball operations with the Cardinals. Mozeliak spent more than a decade in the St. Louis scouting department before ascending to the GM role as a 38-year-old going into 2008. The Cards returned to the postseason within two years and won the World Series in 2011. They had a knack for developing mid-round draftees into productive big leaguers for most of the next decade and made the playoffs nine times between 2011-22.

St. Louis was a little delayed in pivoting away from their traditional success relying on ground-ball pitchers in front of an excellent infield defense. They fell behind in terms of developing swing-and-miss arms as much of the league emphasized working up in the zone with four-seam fastballs. That has caught up to them over the past couple seasons, as they missed the playoffs each year from 2023-25. Amidst the collapse of their own local broadcast deal, Cards ownership has also tightened payroll restrictions and moved into a retooling period focused on building their pitching pipeline.

Mozeliak announced over the 2024-25 offseason that the upcoming year would be his final running baseball operations. He indeed turned the reins to Chaim Bloom, who’d spent the previous couple seasons in their player development department, as soon as the ’25 season ended. It wasn’t clear at the time whether Mozeliak would look for other opportunities to lead a front office.

He’ll take that on in Anaheim, albeit with an apparent end goal of moving back into more of an overhead position and turning daily responsibilities to the next general manager. Assuming that doesn’t happen before the August 3 trade deadline, it’ll be Mozeliak’s responsibility to manage a likely selling scenario. He’ll also be in charge of next month’s draft, in which the Angels will pick 12th and 45th overall. They have the sixth-highest selection in every round after that.

The team’s top potential trade candidates (e.g. Neto, José Soriano, Reid Detmers) are all under arbitration control for multiple seasons. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported over the weekend that Moreno wasn’t interested in trading those players or outfielder Jo Adell. Continuing with their usual approach wouldn’t leave them with much to dangle at the deadline. Kirby Yates and Brent Suter are impending free agent relievers who might be able to return a low-level prospect. They’ll need to decide on Suzuki’s future as manager this offseason.

It’s not clear if the Angels will provide a public timeline for the GM hire. Sam Blum and Katie Woo of The Athletic write that the team declined to make Jolly available to reporters tonight but have scheduled an introductory press conference for Mozeliak tomorrow.

Respective images courtesy of William Liang/Jeff Curry — Imagn Images.

Trade Deadline Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 04:58:19 +0000

MLBTR kicked off its team-by-team look at the trade deadline in the Bronx and now goes to Hollywood. The Dodgers are the clearest win-now club there is. They are coming off two straight World Series victories and are looking to be just the fifth threepeat in MLB history and the first since the Yankees from 1998 to 2000. That being said, they don’t always go for the jugular at the deadline.

Record: 52-29 (100% playoff probability, per FanGraphs)

Buy Mode

Potential needs: Starting pitching, relief pitching, utility

Despite all their recent success, the Dodgers usually don’t win the deadline. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has said that he doesn’t like paying the inflated prices that come with the frenzied bidding, particularly for relievers. Though the Dodgers have nabbed the last two titles, their most recent championship followed a very quiet deadline. They actually traded Dustin May to the Red Sox for prospects, which is more of a seller move. Their big additions were complementary pieces like reliever Brock Stewart, outfielder Alex Call and catcher Ben Rortvedt.

They were more aggressive in 2024, however, adding Jack Flaherty, Tommy Edman, Michael Kopech, Amed Rosario and Kevin Kiermaier, though they also traded James Paxton to the Red Sox in exchange for a prospect, a similar move to the May trade.

At the moment, the pitching staff looks like it could use some upgrading, though that’s not really abnormal for the Dodgers. The club is generally willing to sign injury-prone players and then be very patient with their recoveries in the summer. Broadly speaking, they are fine with a guy missing huge chunks of the regular season if he is healthy by October, since that’s what really matters for the Dodgers. They’re not really worried about missing the playoffs, so the regular season games don’t matter nearly as much.

At the moment, 11 arms are currently on the club’s injured list, including big names like Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Edwin Díaz, Blake Treinen and Evan Phillips. However, each of those guys is expected back in the second half.

At the moment, the Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto at the front of the rotation but things get flimsy after that. Eric Lauer has a 2.54 ERA for the club but a 5.22 FIP and 4.98 SIERA. Justin Wrobleski has a 2.71 ERA but a 3.62 FIP and 4.63 SIERA. Both Lauer and Wrobleski have benefited from very fortunate luck in terms of batting average on balls in play and strand rate. Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki each have ERAs near 5.00.

Upgrading that group could be a target, in theory, but the eventual returns of Snell and Glasnow might address the rotation internally. If the Dodgers expect to have a playoff rotation of Yamamoto, Ohtani, Snell and Glasnow, they won’t feel compelled to make big additions there. Similarly, the bullpen looks like it could use some work right now but the Dodgers probably feel that the returns of Diaz, Treinen and Phillips will negate the need to give up prospects for external additions. Once the rotation is healthier, they could indirectly help the bullpen if someone like Sasaki gets moved into a relief role.

There are dozens of arms they could target but it’s possible they surprise with modest adds. Would anyone have predicted Stewart to be their only pitching acquisition last year? It’s also probably best not to take anything off the table. This is the Dodgers, after all. They could do something big if they really wanted to. For instance, though their playoff rotation already looks good on paper, why not make a run at Tarik Skubal? If they really want the three-peat, they could put their foot on the gas. They could add to their already-strong bullpen by getting Aroldis Chapman.

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Mets Will Move Andy Green Back To Front Office At Season’s End

Anthony Franco — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 04:40:46 +0000

The Mets tabbed Andy Green as interim manager after firing Carlos Mendoza on Friday morning. The 48-year-old Green is back in the dugout for the first time in seven years, but it’s not serving as an audition for the full-time role.

President of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters that Green will return to the front office at the end of the season (relayed by Chelsea Janes of SNY). New York will do a full managerial search at the beginning of the offseason. Green has spent the past two and a half years as the team’s senior vice president of player development.

Green spent almost four years managing the Padres between 2016-19. San Diego lost 90+ games in each of the first three seasons. They were on track for a fourth when they fired Green with a little more than a week remaining in 2019. He spent the next few seasons as a bench coach with the Cubs but was let go after the ’23 campaign when Chicago went from David Ross to Craig Counsell. Green interviewed for a few managerial openings, including the Mets position that went to Mendoza, before moving into the front office. He reportedly rebuffed interest in managerial opportunities last offseason.

Green has begun his interim managerial tenure with an 0-1 record. As has too frequently been the case this year, the Mets couldn’t generate any offense against Zack Wheeler or the Philadelphia bullpen. They dropped their first game under Green by a 2-1 margin. It’s their seventh straight defeat, moving them to a season-worst 14 games under .500. Only the Rockies and Giants have a worse record in the National League.

Stearns is under contract through 2028. It’s generally believed that he has the support of owner Steve Cohen and will be entrusted with the next managerial search. It’s far too early to have an idea of what the Mets will prioritize.

Mendoza, hired a couple months after Cohen tabbed Stearns to run baseball operations, was a first-time hire who’d spent the previous four seasons working as Aaron Boone’s bench coach in the Bronx. He’s the only full-time managerial hire of Stearns’ career, as Counsell was already in place with Milwaukee before the Brewers hired Stearns as GM over the 2015-16 offseason.

Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols has made no secret of his desire to manage and has already thrown his hat into the ring. “I’d love to get the opportunity,” he said in an MLB Network appearance this afternoon. “Who doesn’t want to take that job, especially with the history in that town?” Pujols has no MLB managerial experience but has managed in the Dominican Winter League and led his home country in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, where he managed Juan Soto. Pujols was a reported finalist for the Padres job that went to Craig Stammen and was initially viewed as the leading candidate for the Angels vacancy before talks with owner Arte Moreno broke down.

D-Backs Release Carlos Santana

Anthony Franco — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 03:32:35 +0000

The Diamondbacks officially released veteran first baseman Carlos Santana, according to the MLB.com transaction log. That was expected after he was designated for assignment on Wednesday.

Santana signed a $2MM free agent deal leading up to Spring Training. A switch-hitter who is better from the right side, he signed to take a short side platoon job alongside Pavin Smith. Santana only played in eight games before suffering an adductor strain on April 5. He spent the next two and a half months on the injured list.

The D-Backs sent Santana on a rehab assignment on June 5. Position players can spend up to 20 days working back from an injury in the minors. The D-Backs would’ve needed to activate him on Thursday but instead opted to move on. Santana had hit .083 in 10 rehab games with Triple-A Reno and had a matching batting average over 26 big league plate appearances before the injury.

Santana is free to sign with any team if he intends to continue playing. The 40-year-old might be limited to minor league contracts. He’s still a quality defender but hit just .219/.308/.325 across 474 plate appearances between the Guardians and Cubs last year.

Smith missed a couple months with an elbow injury. He’s back now and playing first base against right-handed pitching. LuJames Groover got the start there against Cards lefty Matthew Liberatore on Wednesday. Utilityman Ildemaro Vargas has gotten the majority of the playing time on the season. Arizona first basemen have an MLB-worst .217/.261/.318 slash line. The D-Backs are a game above .500 at the halfway point and should look for an upgrade before the trade deadline.

The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1519 – 2-Start Pitchers for Week 14

Paul Sporer — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 03:28:07 +0000

Paul and Justin break down next week's board of 2-step pitchers

Source

Braves Place Robert Suarez On Injured List

Anthony Franco — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 02:07:01 +0000

The Braves placed setup man Robert Suarez on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 23, before tonight’s series opener in San Francisco. He’s dealing with forearm tightness. Hurston Waldrep is up from Triple-A Gwinnett to take his place on the active roster. Additionally, the Braves announced that Carlos Carrasco again cleared waivers and elected free agency.

Suarez has been unavailable for the last few days with what was previously an undisclosed issue. They waited to see if he needed a stint on the injured list. That suggests they’re not overly concern, and skipper Walt Weiss indeed downplayed the extent of the injury (relayed by Mark Bowman of MLB.com). Suarez will be out through the All-Star Break but is expected back early in the second half.

Signed to a three-year, $45MM free agent deal, Suarez has been among the best relievers in MLB. The former San Diego closer has moved seamlessly back into a setup role in front of Raisel Iglesias. He has a pristine 0.56 earned run average with four saves and 12 holds through 32 innings. Suarez has only surrendered the lead once all season and has the lowest ERA in the game among pitchers with 30+ frames.

Tyler Kinley should join Dylan Lee as Atlanta’s top setup options for the next couple weeks. Weiss said that the 24-year-old Waldrep will also be available out of the bullpen (via Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal Constitution). The former first-rounder pitched well as a starter late last season. He would’ve opened this season in the rotation if not for Spring Training surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. Waldrep spent the first couple months on the injured list and has been building up on optional assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. He got up to 4 2/3 innings in his most recent Triple-A appearance.

Reynaldo López starts tonight but will be limited to roughly three innings after spending two months in a relief role. Waldrep will probably make his season debut as a multi-inning reliever. Didier Fuentes and Dylan Dodd are also available for long relief, but the Braves used every reliever aside from Iglesias and Lee on Wednesday. Waldrep hasn’t pitched in five days and should be fresh.

Carrasco will probably be back on a new deal in a day or two. He has been on and off the roster all season and has provided the club 14 2/3 innings of six-run ball in scattered MLB appearances.

Biggest Risers After Removing Wins from Player Rater Value

Paul Sporer — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 23:00:11 +0000

The volatile nature of Wins make it a tough stat to trust when it's fueling a pitcher's Player Rater value

Source

Giants Designate Wilkin Ramos For Assignment

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:55:01 +0000

The Giants announced that right-hander Wilkin Ramos has been designated for assignment. That opens a 40-man spot for catcher Drew Cavanaugh. It was reported earlier today that Cavanaugh would be added to the roster.

Ramos, 25, was just added to the roster at the start of this month. Shortly after being added to the roster, he made two big league appearances, allowing five earned runs in two innings. He was optioned back to the minors after that. He has since tossed 5 2/3 Triple-A innings, allowing nine earned runs.

It seems that his rough month has led the team to quickly sour on him, just as quickly as they grew sweet on him earlier this year. He signed a minor league deal with the Giants in the offseason and began the season at Triple-A. He then cracked of 27 innings with a 2.00 earned run average, 23.5% strikeout rate, 6.1% walk rate and 61.4% ground ball rate. That led to him getting called up to the majors but, as mentioned, his results have been awful since then.

He will now head into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Giants could take as long as five days to explore trade interest, though they could also put him on the waiver sooner than that. Ramos had no major league experience prior to this month, so he doesn’t have much of a track record to go on. His work in the minors has generally been strong. Over the 2024 and 2025 seasons, he tossed 115 2/3 innings on the farm with a 2.80 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, 10.7% walk rate and grounders on well over half the balls in play he allowed.

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Giants To Select Drew Cavanaugh

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:40:47 +0000

Catching prospect Drew Cavanaugh is in the Giants lineup tonight, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Fellow catcher Daniel Susac is heading to the injured list with a back injury. Cavanaugh is not officially on the 40-man roster yet, so the Giants will need to make a corresponding move to add him.

Cavanaugh, 24, was a 17th-round pick of the club in 2023. He has since been climbing the minor league ladder without a lot of fanfare. Baseball America has never ranked him as one of the club’s top 30 prospects.

He has some helium this year. Splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A, he has a combined lined of .311/.449/.550 and a 164 wRC+. That performance is propped up by a massive .402 batting average on balls in play but Cavanaugh has also been doing his part with nine home runs and a huge 15.4% walk rate. His 24.2% strikeout rate is a bit high but only by a couple of ticks. Earlier this month, FanGraphs ranked him the #17 prospect in the system. That report praised his well-rounded game, highlighting both his work in the batter’s box and behind the plate.

The Giants began the season with a catching duo of Patrick Bailey and Rule 5 pick Susac. In late April, Susac hit the IL with elbow neuritis, drawing Eric Haase and Jesús Rodríguez into the mix. As Susac was nearing his return from the IL, the Giants shipped Bailey to Cleveland. Rodríguez wasn’t getting much playing time around Haase and Susac, so he was optioned to the minors a few weeks ago. It is perhaps a testament to Cavanaugh’s strong season that he is getting the call when the Giants could have just recalled Rodríguez.

For now, Cavanaugh and Haase will share the catching duties. It’s unclear how long Susac is expected to be out of action. When he gets back, he can’t be sent to the minors since he’s a Rule 5 pick, while Haase is out of options. Perhaps Cavanaugh will be optioned back down to the minors at that point unless he plays well enough to make the Giants consider alternatives, such as going with three catchers or bumping someone else off the roster.

Photo courtesy of Stan Szeto, Imagn Images

Austin Voth Elects Free Agency

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:14:04 +0000

Right-hander Austin Voth cleared outright waivers and elected free agency, reports Bobby Nightengale of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Voth was designated for assignment by the Twins two days ago. Players with at least three years of service time or a previous career outright have the right to reject outright assignments in favor of free agency. Voth qualifies on both counts.

Voth heads to the open market on his birthday, as he turns 34 today. The journeyman has been a passable swingman in his big league career. He has appeared in 210 games, 39 of those being starts, and logged 370 1/3 innings. He has allowed 4.84 earned runs per nine with a 21.5% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. He also spent 2025 in Japan, posting a 3.96 ERA for the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball.

This year, he has been an emergency arm for a few clubs. He started the season with the White Sox on a minor league deal. He was released at the end of camp but quickly landed a new minor league deal with the Blue Jays. Toronto twice added Voth to their roster when they needed a bulk guy. The first time, in April, he allowed one earned run over 2 2/3 innings. He was cut from the roster after that, elected free agency and re-signed. He was added to the roster again in May and allowed five earned runs over 3 2/3 innings.

Once again, he was cut from the roster after just one appearance. This time, instead of returning to the Jays, he signed a minor league deal with the Twins. Minnesota added him to the roster earlier this week when Joe Ryan was scratched from his start due to illness. Voth tossed four innings against the Dodgers but allowed five earned runs in the process. He was off the roster the next day and is now a free agent again.

Voth’s 9.90 ERA in the big leagues this year obviously doesn’t look nice but he has been more serviceable in the minors. He has thrown 44 1/3 Triple-A innings this year with a 3.65 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate.

Since he cleared waivers, it can be assumed that no club wants to give him a big league job right now, but he should be able to get minor league offers. Plenty of teams around the league, such as the Cubs and Angels, have been hit by a number of rotation injuries of late. Those clubs and others need to have fresh arms on hand as situations arise, so Voth should be putting pen to paper somewhere in the coming days.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

Lineup Analysis (6/26/26)

Jeff Zimmerman — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 22:00:09 +0000

It seems like teams are moving away from struggling hitters.

Source

Red Sox Place Marcelo Mayer On Injured List

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:42:15 +0000

The Red Sox announced that shortstop Marcelo Mayer has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a bone stress reaction to the left ulna. Infielder Tsung-Che Cheng has been recalled as the corresponding move. Mayer says he has been dealing with the issue for two months, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.

It’s an unfortunate development for a few different reasons. For Mayer personally, it interrupts an opportunity to establish himself as a viable big league shortstop. Due to the presence of Trevor Story, he had mostly been limited to playing second and third base. Story required sports hernia surgery in May and was slated for an absence of two months or so. The Sox decided to give Mayer a chance to play there. He got about a month of regular playing time at short but is now joining Story on the IL.

For the club, it’s yet another blow to their middle infield depth. Mayer isn’t having a great season on the whole, currently sporting a .220/.282/.312 batting line, perhaps because of this arm issue. Regardless, the Sox still don’t want to see more bodies piling up. Middle infielders Story, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Romy González and Nick Sogard were already on the IL and now Mayer puts one more name on that list.

Manager Chad Tracy told reporters, including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, that Cheng will see a lot of time at shortstop. Cheng’s reputation is that of a glove-first infielder. He should provide the Sox a sure hand at short but the bat could be light. He has a solid .254/.351/.424 line on the farm this year but slashed .207/.305/.267 last year and only has seven big league plate appearances under his belt.

The Sox are 33-46 on the year. That only puts them five games back of a playoff spot in the weak American League playoff field but they are trending towards a deadline selloff if they don’t string some wins together. As mentioned, Mayer hasn’t been putting up big numbers this year, but it’s still another punch to the gut as the club is trying to keep the season from spinning out of control.

Photo courtesy of Dale Zanine, Imagn Images

Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

Anthony Franco — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:50:06 +0000

Anthony Franco

Good afternoon, hope all is well!
Looking forward to another of these, let’s get going

Chris

Would the Mets consider moving or even be able to move Lindor? How far do you think the Mets could go at the trade deadline as sellers?
Is there any chance of the Mets being able to move Bichette at the deadline given his contract situation and a potential cap situation on the horizon?

Mets Man

Mendoza is out. Plenty of questions about new manager for the long term by seasons end but my question is, do you think Stearns will hire a GM in the off-season to be more of a face for the organization?

Mets

This probably doesn’t change anything significantly since Stearns put the roster together and is way more responsible for the current state than Mendoza was, yes?

Anthony Franco

A bunch of Mets questions understandably
Generally, yeah, I think the importance of managerial changes is overstated. Becomes kind of a desperation lever to pull to see if you can spark the roster, feels too late for the Mets at this point anyway
Obviously we see some times where a team indeed rights the ship after a change (see: this year’s Phillies) but it always becomes tough to tease out whether that’s really a product of the managerial change or just the players performing at a level they were expected to the entire time
Most managerial changes come when a team is playing below expectations obviously, so it becomes a chicken or the egg thing
If it turns around at all. The Red Sox haven’t been much better under Chad Tracy than they were under Alex Cora
Could see them hiring a GM, sure. Don’t think it makes a lot of difference ultimately
As for the trade possibilities, I’d be stunned if they moved Lindor. They’d need to eat a bunch of the money given how he’s playing and don’t have an heir apparent at shortstop in the upper minors. Just hold and hope he plays better next year when he’s not coming back from injury
I’m in a similar spot with Bo, since they’d need to include conditional cash in the event that he doesn’t opt out to get anyone to take that contract on. If you’re doing that, why not just keep him? Darragh McDonald thought Bo should’ve made our trade candidates list this week, though, so I imagine he finds that more realistic than I do

Hits Like Rays

The Rays seem to need something to kickstart the team again. Do they have any strong minor leaguers that are ready for promotion to Tampa?

Anthony Franco

Eh not really. Most of their top prospects are lower minors guys. Brody Hopkins is in Triple-A but has been horrible, can’t bring him up right now even as a reliever
Jacob Melton just got activated off the AAA injured list this week so we could see him in a couple weeks. He missed two months so he’ll need some time to get up to game speed though
Still need to trade for outfield help, maybe the best fit for Arraez too

Brewer Fan

After all the hub ub about the Brewers not going for it with the Peralta trade, I’m starting to think there’s about a 50/50 shot Sproat(obviously projecting some more development with the pitching lab) is just the pitcher I’d rather have going forward, irrelevant of contract. How crazy am I?

Anthony Franco

Guess it depends on how far we’re talking. I’d expect Freddy to be better than Sproat for the rest of 2026 but agree it’s closer than most people would expect and have some concern about Peralta trending on a Gallen-style slow decline
I’d be completely out on him as a free agent given the expected contract
I like Sproat but still need to see a better breaking ball before I’d consider him a mid-rotation starter. Obviously Brewers have a strong track record in that regard
I was fine with the trade at the time, not a huge Jett Williams believer but it was very much standard operating procedure for Milwaukee. They just don’t do the strict buyer/seller dynamic

Guest

Will Trent Grisham or Jazz Chisholm Jr. be back with the Yankees next year. If not who will be the replacements?
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