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Brewers Move Quinn Priester To Arizona Complex League

Charlie Wright — Sat, 30 May 2026 23:58:06 +0000

With his rehab assignment going poorly, the Brewers are sending right-hander Quinn Priester to the lowest level of the minor leagues. The injured starter will head to the team’s complex in Arizona to continue his recovery, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Priester is working his way back from symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome. He opened the regular season on the injured list.

Priester failed to get out of the first inning in his Wednesday start at Triple-A. He allowed three earned runs on two hits and three walks. Priester has permitted 13 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with Nashville this month. He also made an appearance with High-A Wisconsin, where he was pounded for seven earned runs while getting just four outs. Priester has a 21.60 ERA in six minor league starts.

“We just felt like he’s not getting anywhere in Triple-A right now,” manager Pat Murphy said, relayed by McCalvy. “He’s spinning his wheels a little bit, trying to find himself.”

Priester was diagnosed with a nerve issue in the spring. He’s avoided surgery up to this point. The decision to move Priester from Triple-A to Rookie ball will be the second time his rehab has had to be adjusted. His first rehab attempt was shuttered after three appearances. Priester hit two batters and walked eight more across five innings at Triple-A, prompting the pause. The control has not improved since he restarted his recovery. Priester has nine walks and a hit batter over his last three outings.

Milwaukee took a flyer on Priester last season, and it paid off handsomely. The righty had posted uninspiring results in his first two years as a big leaguer. The Brewers grabbed him in a minor trade with the Red Sox early in the 2025 campaign. He became a staple of the rotation with his new team. Priester tossed 157 1/3 innings with a 3.32 ERA. The righty leaned on a new cutter to go with his sinker and slider. The arsenal tweak had him looking like a mid-rotation arm moving forward.

With the shift to the Complex League, the club is looking to get Priester into a low-pressure environment in the hopes of helping him return to form. “We were wishful thinking when we thought he could go to Triple-A and just get it back,” Murphy said. The skipper added that building up Priester could take another month.

The Brewers have been without right-hander Brandon Woodruff since the end of April. Righty Logan Henderson went on the IL last week with a back injury. Milwaukee has covered the absences in the rotation with a mix that has included Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat, and Coleman Crow. Patrick, in particular, has been effective, recording a 2.60 ERA over 45 innings.

Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images

Phillies Designate Zach Pop For Assignment

Charlie Wright — Sat, 30 May 2026 22:25:44 +0000

The Phillies reinstated right-hander Zach Pop from the 15-day injured list and designated him for assignment, the team announced. The club needed a 40-man spot for righty Max Lazar, who was activated from the 60-day IL and optioned to Triple-A.

Pop hit the IL in mid-April with a right calf strain. He began a rehab assignment earlier this month. The veteran righty opened the season in the Phillies’ bullpen. He allowed three earned runs across seven appearances. Pop made his first MLB start in his final outing before the leg injury. He tossed two innings against the Diamondbacks as an opener ahead of Andrew Painter.

The 29-year-old Pop has pitched in parts of six MLB seasons with five different clubs. He joined the Phillies in December. Pop struggled mightily in five outings last year, split between the Mariners and Mets. He was crushed for 11 earned runs over 6 2/3 frames. The righty performed much better this spring, posting a 3.86 ERA across nine appearances during exhibition play.

Lazar opened the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain. He began a rehab assignment on the final day of April, which meant his 30-day rehab clock was expiring. Lazar has made 11 appearances in the minors this year. The 26-year-old has pitched well, tossing 13 1/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA.

Philadelphia added Lazar as a minor league free agent heading into the 2024 season. He debuted in the big leagues that year, pitching in 11 games with the Phillies. Lazar was a semi-regular member of the bullpen last season. He operated mostly in lower-leverage situations. The righty recorded an ERA up near 5.00, supported by a 4.58 xFIP and a 4.57 SIERA. He did pick up his first career MLB save in an 11-inning win against the A’s.

Lazar is in his second minor league option year. He’s unlikely to make a significant impact with the big-league club this season. The Phillies did need a temporary long man in the bullpen with Aaron Nola heading to the paternity list, but it was righty Nolan Hoffman who got the call.

Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images

Luis Severino Placed On 15-Day IL With Shoulder Strain

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 21:45:41 +0000

4:45pm: The A’s have placed Severino on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder strain. Right-hander Michael Kelly was recalled to take his spot on the roster. Kelly broke camp with the club but was optioned to Triple-A in early April.

8:52am: Luis Severino threw only 23 pitches in an inning of work during his start in the Athletics’ 8-2 loss to the Yankees on Friday. While warming up for the top of the second, Severino was visited by the team trainer and eventually left the mound due to what the A’s later announced was a bout of arm soreness.

The issue has bothered Severino for the last week, as the right-hander told MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos and other reporters that he came out of his previous start on May 21 with some right triceps tightness. After a bullpen session on Tuesday went well, the A’s still opted to push Severino’s next start to Friday to provide for a little extra rest through the club’s Thursday off-day.

At this point, however, it seems likely that Severino will require a 15-day IL stint to fully recover. No decision has been made yet, as Severino is set to undergo more tests today to further explore the problem. “The biggest [concern] for me is not even my next start. It’s finding something that is going to keep me out for a long time,” Severino said. “If the worst-case scenario is missing one or two starts, I’m happy with that.”

Following the weekend series with New York, the A’s have another off-day on Monday before playing nine games in nine days. The team won’t have to address Severino’s next turn in the rotation until Thursday, yet it looks like the A’s will again have to dip into their rotation depth chart after already losing Aaron Civale to the injured list (with a bout of shoulder tendinitis) earlier this week.

Gallegos suggests that prospect Kade Morris could be called up from Triple-A to make his MLB debut, should the Athletics need a starter to fill in for Severino. Morris isn’t on the 40-man roster, however, so Joey Estes or Mason Barnett could get the call if roster considerations are a factor. Luis Morales is also on the 40-man but has been moved a relief role in Triple-A as the right-hander has continued to struggle.

The A’s remain just 1.5 games out of both first place in the AL West and an AL wild card slot, yet that has more to do with the American League’s parity than it does with the Athletics’ modest 27-30 record. As expected going into the season, the Athletics have been carried by their offense, though the team’s lineup has been more okay than elite. The A’s have gotten okay-ish results from Jeffrey Springs, J.T. Ginn, Civale, and Severino in the rotation, though naturally more is expected from Severino given the three-year, $67MM free agent deal he signed during the 2024-25 offseason.

Severino’s second year in West Sacramento has seen the right-hander improve his ERA to 4.16 and his strikeout rate to 24%, though his 11.4% walk rate is on pace to be the second-highest total of his 11 Major League seasons. Severino was public with his displeasure last year over pitching at Sutter Health Park, and his home/away splits continue to markedly differ. In 2026, Severino has a 3.38 ERA over 37 1/3 innings on the road, and a 5.33 ERA over 25 1/3 innings at home.

MLB Rumor Roundup: 5/30

Griffey Geiss — Sat, 30 May 2026 21:44:39 +0000

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

The post MLB Rumor Roundup: 5/30 appeared first on Pitcher List.

The Struggling Middle Tier Of Free Agent Starters

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 21:06:57 +0000

It's no secret the upcoming free agent class is one of the weakest in recent memory. Aside from Tarik Skubal, who should do very well despite the bone chips surgery that cost him a couple months in his walk year, there's a lack of impact talent. Most of the focus has been on the lackluster hitting group, but there haven't been many impending free agent starters staking a claim to a significant contract either.

Freddy Peralta has been the clear #2 arm in the class. He's having a solid but not exceptional first year with the Mets, struggling to complete six innings while posting a career-low 24% strikeout rate. Peralta still seems on track for the second-largest contract, in large part because none of the prime-aged pitchers have made a strong push to unseat him.

Among impending free agent starters, the top performers through the season's first two months are all on the older side. Kevin Gausman (age 36 in 2027), Michael King (32), and Nick Martinez (36) have been the top performers. 34-year-old Clay Holmes was among that group until a Spencer Jones comebacker broke his right fibula. All those pitchers are trending toward significant annual salaries, but only King has much of a chance at topping three years. Holmes' injury and Martinez's subpar strikeout rate could keep them each at two.

There has been a fairly defined cutoff for the market's willingness to go long term on pitchers. In the past decade, only four free agent starters 32 or older have commanded four or more years: Jacob deGrom, Blake Snell, Hyun Jin Ryu and Nick Pivetta. The Pivetta deal was three-year money spread out over four for luxury tax purposes. Four years at that age has essentially been reserved for aces.

By contrast, there have been 10 free agent contracts of at least four years for 31-year-old starters in that time. Teams have treated that as a meaningful cutoff, leaving the door open for a pitcher in that age range to emerge as the second- or third-best arm in the class.

MLBTR's early April free agent power rankings offer a snapshot of which players we thought had the best chance to push Peralta for the #2 arm available. Let's check in on every 31 and under starter who either made our initial Power Ranking or the honorable mentions. For all but one, the first two months of the season have been bleak.

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Reds Designate Kyle Nicolas For Assignment, Select Lyon Richardson

Charlie Wright — Sat, 30 May 2026 20:47:45 +0000

The Reds are shuffling the bullpen. Right-hander Pierce Johnson is headed to the injured list with right elbow inflammation, the club announced. Righty Lyon Richardson is returning to the big-league club to take his spot. To open up room on the 40-man for Richardson, Cincinnati designated right-hander Kyle Nicolas for assignment.

Nicolas joined the organization via trade from the Pirates in March. Outfielder Tyler Callihan went to Pittsburgh in the deal. Nicolas didn’t break camp with the club, but made his team debut in early April. He was knocked around for seven earned runs over seven appearances. The righty piled up 13 walks over 7 1/3 frames.

The 27-year-old Nicolas struggled in his first outing with the Reds. He ceded three earned runs in mop-up duty and had to be relieved by a position player. Nicolas settled in for four scoreless appearances after the ugly debut. He was tagged for four earned runs in a late April outing against the Rays and was optioned back to Triple-A shortly after.

Throwing strikes has been the main issue for Nicolas. He’s pitched in parts of four seasons in the majors and has yet to post a sub-10% walk rate. The righty has an underwhelming 59.5% strike rate across 93 MLB outings. Nicolas posted a career-worst 38.4% zone rate in his brief stint with the Reds.

After two short stretches with the Reds in 2023 and 2024, Richardson was a regular in the bullpen last season. He pitched to a 4.54 ERA across 37 appearances. The Reds used Richardson in a variety of roles, including occasional late-inning appearances. He picked up three holds, but also covered more than an inning on 14 occasions.

Richardson came up as a starter, and his first four games with the Reds were starts. He struggled to an 8.64 ERA as a rookie in 2023. Richardson began transitioning to a relief role in 2024. He pitched out of the bullpen six times at Triple-A. His lone appearance with the Reds that season came as a reliever. Richardson has been almost exclusively used out of the bullpen since then.

More to come…

Nolan Arenado’s Arizona Bounce-Back

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 19:12:02 +0000

Nolan Arenado‘s no-trade clause was the most obvious obstacle for the Cardinals in their attempts to trade the third baseman during the last two offseasons, as Arenado (especially during the winter of 2024-25) had a very short list of acceptable landing spots. It didn’t help that Arenado was also owed a substantial amount of money, and St. Louis ended up eating $31MM of the $42MM remaining on the third baseman’s contract once Arenado finally approved a trade to the Diamondbacks last January.

The bigger-picture issue hovering over the situation, however, was simply the fact that Arenado looked like a player in decline. After a superb 2022 season with the Cards that saw Arenado finish third in NL MVP voting, Arenado dropped down to a modest 107 wRC+ in 2023, then a 102 wRC+ in 2024, and then an ugly 84 wRC+. It was just the third time in Arenado’s career that he had delivered below-average offense, with the other two instances being his 2013 rookie season with the Rockies, and the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Apart from an elite strikeout rate, Arenado’s 2025 numbers were pretty ugly across the board. He hit .237/.289/.377 with 12 home runs over 436 plate appearances in what ended up as his final season in St. Louis, and his barrel and hard-hit ball rates each ranked only in the 12th percentile of all hitters. Arenado’s numbers in those two categories were pretty similar in 2024, making it consecutive seasons of diminished power.

On the plus side, Arenado’s third base glovework was still strong, even if down from his Platinum Glove-winning prime years. So in swinging that trade with the Cardinals, the D’Backs could at least count on Arenado for solid defense and a veteran voice in the clubhouse. Even if Arenado’s bat was a question mark, it was a flier the Diamondbacks were willing to take given the modest $11MM price tag ($5MM in 2026, $6MM in 2027) and the fact that Arizona hadn’t been able to land such third base targets as Alex Bregman or Brendan Donovan.

Through two months of the season, Arenado seems to have benefited from the change of scenery. The 35-year-old has turned back to the clock to some extent by hitting .275/.357/.462 with seven home runs over 196 PA, translating to a 130 wRC+. If Arenado can keep this going over a full year, the 130 wRC+ would tie the third-highest mark of his 14-year big league career.

There was some thought that the move to Chase Field might spark Arenado’s bat, and sure enough, he has done more damage in a more hitter-friendly home ballpark. Arenado has a .934 OPS across 94 home PA, as opposed to a .711 OPS in 102 PA away from Phoenix.

His overall .360 wOBA is also notably higher than his .339 xwOBA, so some regression is probably inevitable (though .339 is still comfortably above the league average). Arenado still isn’t making contact with much authority, as his barrel rate is only up to 6.5% from 4% in 2025, and his hard-hit ball rate has actually dropped from 32.6% last year to 31.9% this year. While he is still making plenty of contact, Arenado’s 17.9% strikeout rate is on pace to be the second-highest of his career.

When Arenado has squared the ball, however, he has capitalized. As per Statcast’s launch angle sweet spot metric, Arenado’s number is up to 38.4% this season, putting him in the 81st percentile of all batters. (Comparatively, Arenado’s 31.5 LAS% in 2025 put in the 16th percentile.)

All of this success comes after a very rough opening two weeks to the season, as Arenado started his D’Backs tenure with a .392 OPS over his first 52 plate appearances. It was around this time that Arenado and the hitting coaches made some swing changes, with the third baseman telling Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that he was including too much head movement and not enough of his back hip while swinging. A new pregame routine was also introduced with the goal of, as Arenado put it, “trying to see shapes and pitches before I step in the box, so when I step in the box, it doesn’t feel like it’s the first time I’m doing it.”

Time will tell if Arenado can keep this going over an extended period of time, though his hot streak has now been going for almost a month and a half. Arenado’s production has basically offset an extended slump from shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, and helped keep the Snakes in a wild-card position and a game behind the Padres for second place in the NL West.

Even if Arenado does start to cool off, the D’Backs don’t need him to be the All-Star of his prime years — they just need him to produce like a $5MM player. Rather than looking like a plan B or C for the Diamondbacks’ third base needs, the Arenado trade is now shaping up as a nice bargain for the Snakes, and one of the cannier moves of the Arizona offseason.

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/29

Rick Graham — Sat, 30 May 2026 19:10:52 +0000

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

The post Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/29 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Rays Outright Jon Heasley

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 18:08:26 +0000

Right-hander Jon Heasley has cleared waivers and been outrighted to the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate. (Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the move shortly before the team’s official announcement.) Heasley isn’t able to decline the outright assignment, so he’ll return to Durham and await his next selection to the active roster.

The Rays signed Heasley to a minor league deal in April and then selected him to their 26-man roster just three days ago. Heasley pitched the final four innings of the Rays’ 11-2 loss to the Orioles on Wednesday, allowing five runs on eight hits, including a pair of home runs. Tampa Bay then designated Heasley for assignment yesterday, and the right-hander made a quick trip through waivers.

Though Wednesday’s outing was far from memorable, it did mark Heasley’s first MLB game in almost exactly two years. Ironically, Heasley’s last appearance was with the Orioles back on May 23, 2024, and that unsuccessful stint saw him post a 16.88 ERA across four games and 5 1/3 innings of work.

A 13th-round pick for Kansas City in the 2018 draft, most of Heasley’s pro career has been spent in the Royals organization, apart from the 2024 season in Baltimore and his current stint in Tampa. Heasley has exhibited good control but only intermittent strikeout ability even in the minors, and his career ERA now stands at 6.04 over 143 frames with the Rays, Orioles, and Royals. Big league batters have taken Heasley yard a stunning 31 times in that relatively brief 143-inning sample size.

Sit/Start Week 10: Reviewing All Starting Pitcher Matchups From 6/1 – 6/7

Lucas Zenobi — Sat, 30 May 2026 18:00:22 +0000

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

The post Sit/Start Week 10: Reviewing All Starting Pitcher Matchups From 6/1 – 6/7 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Jarred Kelenic Elects Free Agency

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 30 May 2026 17:48:59 +0000

TODAY: Kelenic cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment, according to Brooke Fletcher of the Chicago Sports Network.

MAY 25: The White Sox announced that outfielder Jarred Kelenic has been designated for assignment. That’s the corresponding move for them to select infielder/outfielder Rikuu Nishida, a move that was reported yesterday.

Kelenic, 26, signed a minor league deal with the Sox in the offseason. He began the season at Triple-A and put up some encouraging numbers. In 26 games, he slashed .202/.346/.464. That batting average is obviously not pleasant but was held back by an unfortunate .224 batting average on balls in play. The on-base percentage was buoyed by a huge 18.3% walk rate. His six home runs in 104 plate appearances boosted the slugging percentage. The batting line translated to a subpar 97 wRC+ but would have been above average with a bit more batted ball luck.

The White Sox decided to give him another shot in the big leagues, which didn’t work out. He got into 19 games and stepped to the plate 59 times. His 10.2% walk rate was strong but he also struck out at a huge 33.9% clip. Though his .344 BABIP was actually a help in this sample, he nonetheless put up a .226/.305/.321 line and 81 wRC+.

These are fairly small data sets but they do roughly mirror Kelenic’s larger career arc. A former sixth overall pick and top prospect, he has often put up huge numbers in the minors without finding success in the majors. Including this year’s stint with the Sox, he now has 1,547 big league plate appearances. He has been punched out in 30.7% of those and has a .211/.283/.374 line, which leads to an 84 wRC+. He has stolen some bases but hasn’t received strong grades for his glovework.

The overall performance has pushed him into fringe roster status. As mentioned, he had to settle for a minor league deal coming into this season. He has exhausted his option years, so the Sox had to bump him off the 40-man since they no longer want him on the active roster.

Kelenic is now in DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Sox could take five days to explore trade interest. The most likely outcome is Kelenic ending up on waivers and clearing. He just cleared waivers in October of last year and he hasn’t done much to raise his stock since then. Players with a previous career outright or three years of service time have the right to reject outright assignments in favor of electing free agency. Kelenic qualifies on both counts and can head to the open market if he clears waivers in the next week.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images

Blue Jays Designate Austin Voth, Select Hayden Juenger

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 17:14:29 +0000

The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Austin Voth has been designated for assignment. Right-hander Hayden Juenger‘s contract has been selected from Triple-A, as Juenger will take Voth’s place on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

Toronto has now DFA’ed Voth twice this season, and the first designation in early April saw Voth elect free agency rather than an outright assignment to Triple-A, though he soon re-signed with the Jays on a new minor league deal. In both cases, Voth has been designated after eating some innings in a bullpen game — he allowed one run in 2 2/3 innings in a 3-0 loss to the White Sox on April 5, and he was hit hard for five runs in 3 1/3 innings in yesterday’s 6-5 victory over the Orioles.

It seems quite possible history will repeat itself with Voth’s latest trip through the DFA process. Assuming he isn’t claimed off waivers, he might opt for free agency and then re-sign with Toronto again, or he might just streamline things by accepting an outright assignment. Given how the Blue Jays are still struggling to patch together a rotation amidst numerous injuries to their starting pitchers, Voth might soon be called upon again to cover some innings, so he might view the Jays as his best route to another big league appearance.

More to come…

Dynasty Risers and Fallers: May

Keith Corbliss — Sat, 30 May 2026 17:00:50 +0000

May dynasty risers and fallers: early prospect trends emerging fast.

The post Dynasty Risers and Fallers: May appeared first on Pitcher List.

Mets Select Cionel Perez, Designate Anderson Severino

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:42:05 +0000

The Mets announced that they have selected the contract of left-hander Cionel Perez from Triple-A Syracuse. To create room on the 26-man and 40-man rosters, right-hander Tobias Myers was optioned to Triple-A and left-hander Anderson Severino was designated for assignment.

Perez signed a minor league deal with the Nationals last offseason and then made the Opening Day roster, thus guaranteeing a $1.9MM salary for the 2026 season. After struggling to a 6.19 ERA over 16 games and innings, Perez was outrighted off Washington’s 40-man roster at the start of May, and he rejected that outright assignment in favor of free agency. The Mets came calling with another minors contract just a couple of days later, and Perez will get another chance to get his 2026 season (and to some extent his career) back in the right direction.

A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Perez’s best work came with the Orioles from 2022-24, when he posted a 3.12 ERA and allowed only four homers over 164 2/3 innings out of the Baltimore pen. The grounder specialist’s ability to keep the ball in the park helped paper over some uninspiring strikeout and walk rates, but since Opening Day 2025, Perez has a 7.41 ERA over 37 2/3 big league innings, with 29 walks and only 30 strikeouts. While he is still generating grounders at an elite rate, Perez has given up five homers in his last two seasons of work, so batters are doing heavy damage when they’re able to get the ball in the air.

It remains to be seen if Perez can get on track in Queens, or if he might soon find himself back in DFA limbo as part of the Mets’ neverending bullpen churn. Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, and now David Peterson represent other left-handed options in New York’s relief corps, and Perez might just be on board for a cup of coffee as a fresh arm after the Mets went 10 innings in yesterday’s 9-7 win over the Marlins.

Since Perez has more than five years of MLB service time, he was able to retain his 2026 salary even after declining his outright assignment from the Nationals. That means that Washington will owe him the rest of that $1.9MM, with the Mets on the hook for just the prorated portion of a Major League minimum salary for any time Perez spends on the active roster.

Severino’s big league resume consists of six games and 7 1/3 innings (with a 6.14 ERA) for the White Sox in 2022. After being cut loose by the Sox following that season, he spent the next three seasons outside of affiliated baseball, including two years in the Mexican League before the Mets signed Severino to a minors contract in November.

New York selected Severino’s contract to its 40-man roster 11 days ago but optioned Severino to Triple-A, probably indicating that Severino had some kind of opt-out clause in his deal if he wasn’t included on a 40-man roster. His 1.31 ERA and 51.1% grounder rate over 20 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse could draw some attention on the waiver wire, but those impressive numbers are undermined by a .229 BABIP and 13.8% walk rate, plus Severino’s 25% strikeout rate isn’t anything special.

Myers’ demotion to Triple-A is also worth mention, as he has a 4.05 ERA over 33 1/3 innings this season (working as a proper reliever in 18 games and making two pseudo-starts as an opener). His ability to pitch multiple innings as been helpful for the Mets, but Myers has allowed at least one earned run in four of his last five outings, and he was charged for two runs during an inning of work yesterday. Myers will probably be called back up before too long, particularly if Perez is indeed just in the Show for a short amount of time.

White Sox Place Munetaka Murakami On Injured List

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:37:32 +0000

TODAY: Murakawmi has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will miss 4-6 weeks, Venable told SoxMachine’s James Fegan and other reporters. Chicago officially placed Murakami on the 10-day IL today, and selected infielder Jordan Gonzalez (as reported yesterday) to take his spot on the active roster.

MAY 29: The White Sox’s dramatic win tonight over the Tigers didn’t come without a cost. Munetaka Murakami left the game with right hamstring tightness. Manager Will Venable said postgame that while the team was still awaiting testing results, the rookie slugger could miss a couple weeks (relayed by Scott Merkin of MLB.com).

Murakami tweaked his hamstring in the third inning. He hustled to beat out a potential double play ball and favored his leg after getting through the bag. Venable said postgame they believe there’s a strain and will know more about the severity after tomorrow’s imaging. Miguel Vargas kicked over to first base to finish the game. Colson Montgomery slid from shortstop to third base, while Luisangel Acuña handled short.

It halts a phenomenal start to Murakami’s big league career. He easily leads rookies with 20 home runs, tying him with Yordan Alvarez for second in MLB behind Kyle Schwarber. The strikeout concerns that were oft-mentioned haven’t stopped him from being one of baseball’s most feared sluggers. Murakami is hitting .240/.378/.560 over his first 246 plate appearances.

Vargas hit a two-run, walk-off shot against Drew Anderson with two outs in the tenth inning. That pushed the Sox to a season-high three games above .500. They’re only three games back of the Guardians in the AL Central and currently occupy the second Wild Card spot.

The Sox will reportedly bring up infield prospect Jacob Gonzalez tomorrow as the corresponding move. Vargas seems likely to handle everyday first base duties for a few weeks. Gonzalez and Montgomery would get the majority of the playing time on the left side of the infield. Acuña can pick up occasional middle infield work, while second baseman Chase Meidroth is also able to slide to the other side of the bag.

Examining Hitters Combining Selectivity with Aggression Using PLV DV

Ben Solow — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:30:21 +0000

Which hitters best combine selectivity with aggression?

The post Examining Hitters Combining Selectivity with Aggression Using PLV DV appeared first on Pitcher List.

Two-Start Starters: Week 10

Will Orsland — Sat, 30 May 2026 16:00:31 +0000

Which two-start starters you should start or question?

The post Two-Start Starters: Week 10 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 5/29: Jared Jones’ Locker

Jake Crumpler — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:56:08 +0000

Jake Crumpler reviews every starting pitcher performance from Friday.

The post Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 5/29: Jared Jones’ Locker appeared first on Pitcher List.

AL West Notes: Miller, Castillo, Langford, Rangers, Moore

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:52:30 +0000

Bryce Miller will start and Luis Castillo will again be the piggyback pitcher for the Mariners on Sunday, but the team will then adopt a six-man rotation, the Seattle Times’ Adam Jude writes. Friday’s game with the Diamondbacks kicked off a stretch of 16 games in 17 days for the Mariners, so shifting back to a six-man rotation will help keep the entire pitching staff stay fresh. The rotation plan will then be re-evaluated on June 15 (Seattle’s next off-day), and sticking with the six-man format could be an option, if the M’s don’t again use two starters in a piggyback set-up.

Simply establishing a plan for the next couple of weeks is a positive step for the Mariners, as both Miller and Castillo weren’t pleased with what they felt was a lack of communication from the club. Manager Dan Wilson, pitching coach Pete Woodworth, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto, and GM Justin Hollander all spoke with the two right-handers this week and now everyone seems to be “on the same page,” as Miller put it. Emerson Hancock‘s breakout season has given Seattle six viable starters and a bit of awkwardness in how to best manage everyone’s workload, though in the big picture, there’s no such things as too much good pitching for a team hoping to make an even deeper playoff run.

Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 5/30 & 5/31 & 6/1

Nick Pollack — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:48:32 +0000

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

The post Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 5/30 & 5/31 & 6/1 appeared first on Pitcher List.

TWF 150 – How Much Can You Benge?

John Ke — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:45:00 +0000

May Madness is about to begin!

The post TWF 150 – How Much Can You Benge? appeared first on Pitcher List.

White Sox Select Jacob Gonzalez

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:33:00 +0000

TODAY: The Sox officially announced the selection of Gonzalez’s contract to the active roster. In the corresponding moves, Murakami was placed on the 10-day IL due to a right hamstring strain, and Leasure was moved from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.

MAY 29: The White Sox will select Jacob Gonzalez onto the MLB roster, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. James Fegan of Sox Machine reported this evening that Gonzalez would likely get the call if Munetaka Murakami went on the injured list. Manager Will Venable told reporters postgame that Murakami would likely be down for a couple weeks with a right hamstring issue.

Chicago will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Reliever Jordan Leasure, who just went on the 15-day injured list today with a flexor strain, is a candidate for a move to the 60-day IL. The righty said Friday that he’ll be shut down entirely for four weeks after pitching through some discomfort for more than a month (via Fegan). Leasure indicated there’s a lot of inflammation but nothing structurally amiss with his elbow.

Chicago selected Gonzalez with the #15 pick in the 2023 draft. The Ole Miss product posted below-average offensive numbers over his first couple minor league seasons. He has completely turned that around in 2026, slugging 18 home runs over 54 games with Triple-A Charlotte. That’s already more than the 17 longballs he hit over his first two and a half seasons in the minors.

Gonzalez, who’ll make his MLB debut on his 24th birthday if he’s in the lineup tomorrow, leads all Triple-A players and is third in affiliated ball in home runs. He’s hitting .308/.414/.646 across 234 plate appearances, the second-best OPS among minor leaguers with 200+ trips. The power has come with a slight uptick in swing and miss, as he’s fanning at a career-high 20.5% rate. That’s obviously a tradeoff worth making for this kind of impact.

A 90 mph average exit velocity and 42% hard contact rate don’t quite align with Gonzalez’s monster production. Those would be above-average marks at the MLB level but aren’t top of the scale. Gonzalez had been viewed as more of an OBP-focused hitter entering the season, so even average power would be a major step forward.

Gonzalez was drafted as a shortstop and has continued to play there more than any other position. He has experience at all four infield spots and will likely play alongside Colson Montgomery on the left side of the dirt. Miguel Vargas can move to first base while Murakami is out of action.

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

John Villavicencio — Sat, 30 May 2026 15:30:13 +0000

Top 10 pitching prospects to stash in redraft league.

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

Yandy Diaz Hits Two Home Runs – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 5/2/2026

Ryan Clark — Sat, 30 May 2026 14:30:50 +0000

Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games.

The post Yandy Diaz Hits Two Home Runs – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 5/2/2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Twins Designate Simeon Woods Richardson For Assignment

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 14:23:27 +0000

The Twins announced that right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson has been designated for assignment. Fellow righty John Klein was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding 26-man roster move, and since Klein was already on the 40-man roster, Minnesota now has only 38 players on their 40-man.

Woods Richardson has a garish 7.74 ERA over 47 2/3 innings, with almost an even number of strikeouts (26) to walks (25). Minnesota removed SWR from the rotation two weeks ago, but he was pressed back into starting duty on Thursday when Kendry Rojas was scratched due to an elbow problem. The hits just kept coming, as Woods Richardson allowed five runs over 2 2/3 innings in the Twins’ 6-2 loss to the White Sox.

While Woods Richardson tossed three scoreless innings over his two relief appearances, he allowed a walk and a hit in both outings. The Twins obviously didn’t feel good enough about these performances to keep SWR around in a relief role, and since he is out of minor league options, Minnesota had to designate Woods Richardson and expose him to the waiver wire before trying to send him down to Triple-A.

A .339 BABIP and a 57.9% strand rate haven’t helped Woods Richardson’s cause, but his 5.74 SIERA indicates that his struggles are due to more than just bad luck. Woods Richardson has already been tagged for nine home runs in his 47 2/3 frames, continuing his issues at keeping the ball in the park against big league hitters.

Over 302 1/3 career innings in the Show, Woods Richardson has a 4.76 ERA for the Twins, with a 19.7% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate. His 11.5K% this season is a troubling dropoff even for a pitcher who didn’t miss many bats to begin with, and an increase in the use of a splitter has proven disastrous, as Woods Richardson’s split-finger fastball has been one of the least-effective offering of any pitch in baseball.

Though Woods Richardson’s peripherals have never been anything special, it is worth noting that he posted a respectable 4.11 ERA over 245 innings for Minnesota in 2024-25, starting 50 of his 51 games. Woods Richardson was also a top-100 prospect back in his days in the Blue Jays’ farm system, before he was dealt along with Austin Martin in the July 2021 deadline deal that sent Jose Berrios to Toronto.

As rough as things have been for Woods Richardson in 2026, his track record might get him a look on the waiver wire, if a rival pitching development staff feels it might have a fix. Woods Richardson is still only 25 and he has yet to reach arbitration eligibility, so he represents an interesting flier for teams in need of pitching depth, plus he could have a second act to his career if used strictly as a reliever.

Rojas was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday with left elbow inflammation, dealing another blow to Minnesota’s rotation depth. While Woods Richardson was no longer in the starting picture and only went Thursday due to the emergency circumstance, the Twins are now without another pitcher they expected to be part of their 2026 rotation. Pablo Lopez was lost to Tommy John surgery, David Festa has yet to pitch in 2026 due to triceps and shoulder issues, and Mick Abel hasn’t pitched since April 14 due to elbow inflammation.

Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 5/30

Rick Graham — Sat, 30 May 2026 14:18:09 +0000

The Best Reliever Streamers for Today with Updated Bullpen Usage Charts

The post Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 5/30 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Luis Severino Leaves Game Due To Arm Soreness

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:52:41 +0000

Luis Severino threw only 23 pitches in an inning of work during his start in the Athletics’ 8-2 loss to the Yankees on Friday. While warming up for the top of the second, Severino was visited by the team trainer and eventually left the mound due to what the A’s later announced was a bout of arm soreness.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 5/30/26

Ben Solow — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:46:21 +0000

White Sox promotion watch and a newly full-time Nat

The post Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 5/30/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 5/30/26

Carson Picard — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:33:46 +0000

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

The post Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 5/30/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

MLB News & Moments: Who Wants a Walk-Off?

Josh Shaw — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:30:31 +0000

They're handing them out like Oprah Winfrey

The post MLB News & Moments: Who Wants a Walk-Off? appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starts and Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups for Fantasy Baseball (May 25 - May 31)

Nick Mariano — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:07:08 +0000

With June approaching, and roughly one-third of the season behind us, let's make sure we stay on point with updated starting pitcher starts/sits for fantasy baseball for the week ahead - Monday, May 25 through Sunday, May 31. This column provides readers with who is pitching, the opponent, and a confidence/startability score based on our […]

The Opener: Walkoffs, Crawford, Phillies, Dodgers

Mark Polishuk — Sat, 30 May 2026 12:43:46 +0000

The Nationals dropped back to a .500 record (29-29) after yesterday’s 7-5 loss to the Padres. Washington leads all of baseball in both runs scored (311) and runs allowed (317), though scoring may be at a bit more of a premium in today’s pitching matchup of Foster Griffin against San Diego ace Michael King.

1. The grand slam of walkoffs

In an overload of late drama, four different players ended games on Friday with a walkoff home run. The Mets’ MJ Melendez, the Pirates’ Bryan Reynolds, the Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar, and White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas all called game for their teams, with Melendez and Vargas both hitting their homers in the bottom of the tenth inning. Reynolds’ home run turned a 5-4 ninth-inning deficit into a 6-5 Pittsburgh win over Minnesota, while Tovar’s dinger was the final blow of a five-run outburst for Colorado in an 8-6 victory over San Francisco.

2. JPC’s career day

While not a home run, Randy Arozarena got in on the walkoff party with an RBI double in the bottom of the 10th that gave the Mariners a 7-6 victory over the Diamondbacks. J.P. Crawford scored from second as the ghost runner, highlighting an impressive night that saw the shortstop score four runs while going 2-for-4 with two home runs, a walk, and three RBI. It was the first multi-homer game for Crawford in his 10 Major League seasons.

3. Sasaki goes for six

The Dodgers have won five in a row for baseball’s longest ongoing winning streak, following Friday’s 4-2 result over the Phillies. All four L.A. runs came off solo homers against Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler, while Justin Wrobleski held the Phillies hitless until Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run of his own in the sixth inning. The series continues today with a pitching matchup of Jesus Luzardo against Roki Sasaki, with Sasaki still looking to get on track after posting a 4.93 ERA over his first nine starts.

Which Impending Free Agent Bats Are Actually Improving Their Stock?

Steve Adams — Sat, 30 May 2026 04:56:11 +0000

In case you weren't aware, the upcoming offseason's free agent class is ... well, it's... not exactly the stronge-- ok, it's not good. It's a weak class. Despite being headlined by a two-time Cy Young winner, that was always expected to be the case. The fact that said Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, is currently out following surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow only further dampens the group's overall earning power.

We're due for an update on our Free Agent Power Rankings. That'll likely be published at some point next week. Our power rankings are always based on total earning power rather than individual impact. If you're a 38-year-old ace, you probably won't rank as highly as a 28-year-old regular at third base, because that 28-year-old is going to have access to a much longer (and thus more lucrative overall) contract than said 38-year-old. Sorry Chris Sale, them's the breaks.

That said, it's been a brutal year for most of the names at the top of an already underwhelming free agent class -- pitchers and hitters alike. Skubal, as mentioned, had elbow surgery. He'll be back -- sooner than originally anticipated, by all accounts -- but he's not going to take home a third straight Cy Young Award. Bo Bichette can opt out of his Mets contract ... but he's hitting .225/.273/.317. Trevor Rogers missed time on the injured list and has a nearly 7.00 ERA through nine starts. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has been terrific in May, but that only offsets an awful April. Tatsuya Imai came to MLB with plenty of hype and an opt-out-laden contract that potentially set him up to reenter free agency and cash in on a mega-deal next winter -- at least until he posted a 6.17 ERA through his first six MLB starts.

Any and all of these players have time to turn things around, and while the headline of this particular post is admittedly a bit hyperbolic, it's also true that most of the market's top bats aren't doing much to elevate their case. A big four months would make Chisholm's April a distant memory, but we're not there yet. Daulton Varsho has been better than average at the plate but hasn't shown the same power he did last year. Bichette's start has been dismal. Taylor Ward has followed up his 36-homer 2025 season by hitting two round-trippers through the first third of the 2026 season.

We'll cover a lot of the bigger names on the forthcoming update to our Power Rankings, but here's a look at some bats who probably won't make the list but are nonetheless trending in a positive direction. (Note that I'll be excluding some smaller-sample breakouts/resurgences for this list; Jorge Mateo's .324/.370/.471 slash looks great, but it's 73 plate appearances being propped up by a silly .455 BABIP and combined with a 30% strikeout rate. Let's not get too carried away.)

Brandon Lowe, 2B, Pirates

Pittsburgh's acquisition of Lowe in the three-team trade that sent Mike Burrows to Houston and Jacob Melton to Tampa Bay looks like one of the best moves of the offseason. The 31-year-old (32 in July) is in the midst of arguably the best season of his career. Lowe has belted 14 home runs in only 51 games. His 11.2% walk rate is the second-highest of his career, while his 23.7% strikeout rate is the second-lowest.

Not only are those excellent marks both relative to his career levels and the rest of the league, they both put a halt to some worrying trends. Lowe has always struck out a fair bit, but his 2022 mark of 22.9% looked like it might be a step in the right direction. Instead, it climbed to 27% from 2023-25 and did so while his walk rate plummeted to a career-worst 6.9% last year. Lowe still chases a bit too much, but he's made big gains on his in-zone contact rate and done so without sacrificing much in the way of hard-hit balls.

Durability will be key for Lowe, who played in only 415 of 648 possible games from 2022-25 (64%). However, he's currently on pace to match his career-high 39 home runs, set back in 2021, and he's doing so with the best strikeout-to-walk profile of his career.

If Lowe actually stays healthy and flirts with 40 homers, it's hard to imagine a scenario where he's not in the top 10 on our list. But even if his power output cools down, he's done a nice job improving his stock thus far.

The open market in modern baseball rarely rewards pure second basemen, which is what Lowe is at this point. He's played exactly three innings of outfield since the 2021 season wrapped, and he has all of 155 career innings at first base. It also rarely compensates 32-year-olds on long-term deals. Lowe has an uphill battle based on position and age, but he's still angling for a nice multi-year deal.

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The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1511 – 2-Start Pitchers for Week 10

Paul Sporer — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:41:07 +0000

Paul and Justin take a deep look at next week's 2-start pitchers

Source

White Sox To Select Jacob Gonzalez

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:59:00 +0000

The White Sox will select former first-round pick Jacob Gonzalez onto the MLB roster, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. James Fegan of Sox Machine reported this evening that Gonzalez would likely get the call if Munetaka Murakami went on the injured list. Manager Will Venable told reporters postgame that Murakami would likely be down for a couple weeks with a right hamstring issue.

More to come.

White Sox Likely To Place Munetaka Murakami On Injured List

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:52:32 +0000

The White Sox’s dramatic win tonight over the Tigers didn’t come without a cost. Munetaka Murakami left the game with right hamstring tightness. Manager Will Venable said postgame that while the team was still awaiting testing results, the rookie slugger could miss a couple weeks (relayed by Scott Merkin of MLB.com).

Mets Move David Peterson To Bullpen, Sean Manaea To Rotation

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:23:15 +0000

The Mets are making a switch in their starting five. Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) that David Peterson will move to the bullpen. Lefty Sean Manaea will pitch every fifth day in his stead, though the Mets haven’t determined whether he’ll be a traditional starter or pitch bulk innings behind an opener.

It’s the second time this season that Peterson has been bumped to relief. He has started seven of 12 outings, though most of his relief appearances have been as the bulk arm. It did seem briefly that Peterson would be a traditional reliever in late April. Injuries to Kodai Senga and Clay Holmes a few weeks later pushed the southpaw back into the rotation.

Peterson hasn’t found his footing this year. He has a 5.52 earned run average over 53 1/3 innings. The strikeout, walk and ground-ball marks aren’t all that bad, but he has been victimized by a .376 average on balls in play. Peterson also got knocked around in the second half of last season. He hasn’t been able to work deep into games and hasn’t shown any signs of consistency. Peterson gave up six runs on 11 hits and three walks over five innings in a loss to the Reds on Tuesday.

It’s rough timing for the impending free agent. Peterson is playing on an $8.1MM arbitration salary. He entered the season as a multi-year deal candidate but now seems to be trending towards a one-year pillow contract. Peterson came up in some trade chatter over the winter and could move in a change of scenery deal before the deadline regardless of whether the Mets are able to pull out of the hole they’ve dug themselves.

Manaea has made all 12 of his appearances this year from the bullpen. His velocity was down during Spring Training, leading the Mets to move him to long relief. The diminished stuff certainly showed up in his April results. Manaea allowed a 6.55 ERA across 22 innings through the first month-plus. He has performed better of late, striking out 15 while giving up six runs (five earned) over his past 12 innings. He tossed three innings of mop-up work behind Peterson on Tuesday, striking out six while allowing one run.

The veteran lefty is still working with his lowest velocity in years. He has found some extra juice of late, though, averaging 91.4 mph on his fastball in May after sitting below 90 in April. He has added two ticks to a sinker that he’s using more frequently of late.

It certainly hasn’t been dominant form. Manaea is still allowing a .292/.375/.354 slash line in his improved last few weeks. At the same time, it’s inarguable that his more recent results have been better than Peterson’s. He’ll probably be on a short leash and could pitch behind a righty opener like Tobias Myers or Huascar Brazobán to stay away from an opponent’s top hitters the first time through the order. Manaea is in the second season of a three-year, $75MM free agent deal. He struggled to a 5.64 ERA in a half-season last year after an oblique strain shelved him into July.

Manaea’s first start or bulk appearance will likely come on Monday in Seattle. Freddy Peralta took the ball tonight in the series opener against the Marlins, a walk-off win. Christian Scott and Nolan McLean will get the next two games. They used a bullpen game for what would’ve been the fifth starter role on Wednesday, with Jonah Tong taking the plurality of the work (3 2/3 innings).

Dodgers Re-Sign Santiago Espinal

Darragh McDonald — Sat, 30 May 2026 01:05:04 +0000

8:08pm: Los Angeles officially announced the moves, as well as yesterday’s placement of Teoscar Hernández on the injured list while recalling Ryan Ward from Triple-A. They opened the 40-man spot by transferring Blake Snell from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list. Snell was already expected to be out beyond the All-Star Break after undergoing the NanoScope elbow procedure to remove loose bodies from his elbow.

5:35pm: The Dodgers are re-signing infielder/outfielder Santiago Espinal, per Jack Harris of The California Post. Infielder/outfielder Hyeseong Kim will be optioned in a corresponding active roster move. The Dodgers have a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move to add Espinal.

Espinal was just nudged off the roster on Monday when Enrique Hernández came off the injured list. A lot has changed since then. Hernández suffered a significant oblique tear and has gone right back on the IL. Teoscar Hernández also hit the IL this week, in his case due to a hamstring strain. Espinal cleared waivers and elected free agency but has now pivoted right back to the Dodgers.

In addition to losing both Hernándezes to the IL, the Dodgers have been watching Kim struggle. His .259/.323/.328 line for the whole year isn’t awful, leading to an 87 wRC+, but his production has been sagging lately. He had a .296/.371/.389 line when the calendar flipped to May but he has a .226/.279/.274 line since then.

Espinal may not provide much more than that, considering he has a .220/.238/.366 line on the year. But perhaps the Dodgers feel the best thing for Kim is to get regular playing time in the minors, as opposed to sitting on the bench. Alex Freeland was recalled when Enrique went back on the IL and should get the bulk of the second base playing time in the near future.

Kim is 27 years old, signed through 2027, with club options for 2028 and 2029. Espinal is 31 and not signed long-term. It therefore makes sense for the Dodgers to think about the long-term plan with Kim, whereas Espinal is more of a short-term stopgap and therefore a better fit for a part-time bench role.

Though Espinal may not provide much with the bat, he can be useful in other ways. He has experience at all four infield spots, as well as the outfield corners, so he can give the Dodgers the flexibility to move guys around as needed.

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images

Giants Reassign Third Base Coach Hector Borg

Anthony Franco — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:12:43 +0000

The Giants announced they’ve reassigned third base coach Hector Borg to a different role in player development. Ron Wotus will handle the role on an interim basis while the team searches for a full-time replacement.

Borg, 40, is an organizational lifer who has been employed by the Giants since 2008. He also managed his native Dominican Republic for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. After nearly two decades working with minor leaguers, Borg was promoted to the MLB staff for the first time last offseason. He had no previous ties to first-year skipper Tony Vitello but is clearly highly regarded in the organization.

Unfortunately, Borg’s time as a third base coach was largely unsuccessful. The Giants have had a handful of runners cut down at home or between second and third base this season. Arguably the worst came on Wednesday, when the Diamondbacks easily nabbed Willy Adames at the plate with one out in the bottom of the eighth. Adames represented the tying run in what would turn out to be a 3-2 loss.

The running game as a whole has been a major issue for the Giants. Statcast grades them alongside the Angels as the worst overall baserunning teams in MLB. Their 14 stolen bases are easily the lowest in the league. That certainly doesn’t all fall on one coach, but it’s clear the Giants felt some kind of change was necessary. A third base coach’s responsibilities go far beyond making the send/hold decision during games, so the Giants will keep Borg around in a player development capacity with which he’s previously had success.

Wotus has ample coaching experience under various Giants managers going back to the 1990s. He retired from full-time coaching after the 2021 season and has spent the past four-plus years in a special assistant role. The 65-year-old seemingly doesn’t want to commit to the daily responsibilities of being a permanent coach but will get back in the dugout as a stopgap. Wotus handled third base coaching for a few days last week while Borg was away from the team to attend a family funeral.

Rockies’ Prospect Ethan Holliday To Undergo Season-Ending Foot Surgery

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 23:35:41 +0000

Rockies top shortstop prospect Ethan Holliday has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left foot, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. He’ll undergo surgery that will end his 2026 season.

Holliday, the son of Matt Holliday and younger brother of Jackson Holliday, was the fourth pick in last year’s draft. The pick was not only a chance for the Rox to add the son of one of the best hitters in franchise history. Holliday had entered his draft year as a candidate to go first overall thanks to his huge left-handed power potential. Some swing-and-miss concerns and skepticism about whether he’ll grow out of shortstop dropped him from the #1 pick but not outside the top five.

The 19-year-old struggled in Low-A to close his draft year. Holliday returned to the level for his first full minor league season and sliced his strikeout rate by more than 10 percentage points. He still struck out at a lofty 28.3% clip but popped nine home runs while batting .292/.395/.557 over 152 plate appearances. Baseball America ranks him the top prospect in the Colorado system. He’s 57th on BA’s overall top 100 list, while MLB Pipeline slots Holliday all the way up at #17.

It’s unfortunately the second straight year in which the Rox’s top pick has suffered an injury early the following year. Charlie Condon, who went #3 overall in 2024, suffered a wrist fracture last spring that cost him a couple months. Condon has come back and reached Triple-A. Holliday isn’t going to move as quickly because he was a high school draftee. The Rox could bump him to High-A to begin the 2027 season, as there’s a decent chance he’d have hit his way to that level this summer if not for the injury.

Tigers Place Casey Mize On Injured List

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 23:14:23 +0000

The Tigers placed Casey Mize back on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 28, with right adductor inflammation. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by reliever Beau Brieske, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. That requires the Tigers to open a spot on the 40-man roster, so they transferred southpaw Brant Hurter to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.

Mize has been plagued by right groin discomfort in what has otherwise been a strong year. The former first overall pick was diagnosed with an adductor strain in late April and missed around three weeks. He returned on May 16 and looked sharp in his first couple starts. Mize was pitching well on Wednesday but forced to make an exit after four innings with what appeared to be a new groin injury.

That’s evidently the case, though it’s encouraging that this diagnosis was due to inflammation rather than another strain. It’s unlikely it’ll be an extended absence, yet it’s surely an annoyance for Mize and the team that he’ll need to miss another couple starts. He has arguably been the team’s most valuable pitcher this year thanks to the Tarik Skubal injury.

Mize carries a 2.27 earned run average with a career-best 26.5% strikeout rate across 47 2/3 frames. He’s certainly pitching well enough to earn a second straight All-Star appearance if he could stay healthy. Mize is also an impending free agent who’ll be one of the top non-Skubal options on the open market. Although a pair of minor groin issues probably aren’t going to be a huge blow to his value, they add to the various injuries Mize has faced throughout his career.

Detroit enters this weekend’s road series against the White Sox with a 22-35 record. They’re tied with the Angels for worst in the American League. Mize’s injury won’t change the rotation plans for this series. Troy Melton, Framber Valdez and Keider Montero were lined up for the three-game set. They’ll need a new starter for Monday’s series opener in Tampa Bay. There’s a decent chance that’ll be Ty Madden, who is eligible to return from a forearm contusion this weekend. Madden worked 4 1/3 innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Toledo on Monday and may only need the one minor league tuneup.

Brieske is back to give skipper A.J. Hinch a nine-man bullpen for the weekend. He has been out all season with a left adductor strain. The 28-year-old righty struggled last year while battling ankle and forearm issues. He was a capable middle innings arm from 2023-24.

Hurter is dealing with lumbar spine inflammation. He just went on the IL over the weekend, meaning this transfer rules him out until the second half of July. The 6’6″ southpaw has worked around middling strikeout and walk numbers to manage a 2.84 ERA across 25 1/3 frames.

Giants Place Tyler Mahle On Injured List

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 22:46:56 +0000

The Giants announced they’ve placed starter Tyler Mahle on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The placement, which is retroactive to May 27, opens a spot on the pitching staff for Logan Webb to return from the IL and start tonight’s game at Coors Field. San Francisco also activated Jung Hoo Lee from the 10-day IL after optioning fellow outfielder Will Brennan to Triple-A Sacramento last night.

More to come.

Dodgers To Re-Sign Santiago Espinal

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 22:35:04 +0000

The Dodgers are re-signing infielder/outfielder Santiago Espinal, per Jack Harris of The California Post. Infielder/outfielder Hyeseong Kim will be optioned in a corresponding active roster move. The Dodgers have a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move to add Espinal.

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images

Eury Pérez To Miss Eight Weeks With Gracilis Strain

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:40:23 +0000

The Marlins announced that right-hander Eury Pérez has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 28th, with a right gracilis strain. His recovery will last eight weeks, per Christina De Nicola of MLB.com. Fellow righty Josh Ekness has been recalled to take his roster spot. The Fish also reinstated infielder Leo Jimenez from the seven-day concussion-related IL and optioned infielder Graham Pauley.

Pérez tossed four shutout innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday but did not come out for the fifth. As seen in this video from MLB.com, he was stretching in the dugout when he suddenly became visibly overwhelmed with pain. He had to be helped down into the tunnel. After the game, he told De Nicola that his pain was initially a ten out of ten, but had dropped to a seven. He was set to undergo imaging, which apparently found this strain of his gracilis, which is part of the thigh.

It’s the latest blow to the Miami rotation, which has seen its once-vaunted starting depth evaporate. The Marlins felt good enough about their stock of starters that they traded both Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers in the offseason. Those moves allowed the Fish to acquire Owen Caissie and various prospects. The hope was that they would still have plenty of arms. They began the season with Pérez, Sandy Alcantara, Max Meyer, Chris Paddack and Janson Junk in the rotation, with Braxton Garrett, Robby Snelling, Thomas White and others in Triple-A.

In early May, they gave up on Paddack. He was designated for assignment and landed with the Reds. Snelling was called up to take his rotation spot but then Snelling suffered a sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament after just one start in the big leagues. He underwent internal brace surgery and will miss the rest of the year. Garrett was then called up to replace Snelling but Garrett’s two starts resulted in just 4 1/3 innings with seven earned runs allowed. He was optioned back down to the minors after that. White hasn’t been an option because he landed on the minor league IL a couple of weeks ago.

With Pérez now out, the Fish are basically down to Alcantara, Meyer and Junk from their season-opening group. Tyler Phillips, who has been working a multi-inning relief role, made a start on Sunday. He went 3 2/3 innings and is listed as the probable starter for tomorrow’s game, so perhaps he’ll stick in the rotation for now. Meyer is taking the ball tonight and Junk on Sunday, followed by Alcantara on Monday. By Tuesday, they’ll need to figure something else out, whether that’s a spot starter or bullpen game.

Garrett was only optioned nine days ago. Pitchers need to wait 15 days after being optioned before they can be recalled, unless they directly replace someone else going on the IL. Dax Fulton, Ryan Gusto and Bradley Blalock are on the 40-man roster and pitching in Triple-A, though Fulton has a 6.17 ERA in Triple-A this year and Blalock is at 5.44. Gusto has a more palatable 4.01 at Triple-A this year, though he has a 5.61 ERA in his big league career.

Time will tell how the Marlins proceed but it’s a rough situation for them. They are 26-31 on the year, putting them five games back of a playoff spot. There’s still lots of time to climb in the standings but that will be hard to do with the pitching staff so banged up.

Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images

MLB Announces One-Game Suspension For Abner Uribe

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:30:55 +0000

Major League Baseball announced that right-hander Abner Uribe has been given a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for his inappropriate actions towards the Cardinals’ dugout during the top of the eighth inning of Tuesday’s game at American Family Field. Uribe is appealing, so the suspension is held in abeyance until the appeals process is complete.

The incident occurred after Uribe struck out Alec Burleson, as seen in this footage from MLB.com, which also includes comments from manager Pat Murphy and Uribe himself. After striking out Burleson, Uribe turned towards the away dugout and performed a gesture that will be familiar to wrestling fans of a certain era.

Murphy was visibly unpleased at the time and later called the situation unacceptable. Uribe, through a Spanish-language translator, apologized to various people with the Brewers. But he didn’t apologize to the Cardinals and actually condemned St. Louis manager Oli Marmol, implying Marmol had threatened Milwaukee hitters with bean balls.

It’s not the first time Uribe has been suspended for an on-field situation. The Brewers and Rays got into a brawl in 2024, with Uribe and Jose Siri at the center of it. Uribe received a six-game suspension for that, though it was later reduced to four games on appeal.

When a player is suspended for an on-field infraction, the team cannot replace him on the roster. If Uribe’s suspension is upheld or he drops his appeal, the Brewers will have to play a man short for one game. For a suspension this short, it’s possible that Uribe will drop the appeal prior to a game that he wasn’t going to be available for regardless, perhaps after pitching a few days in a row.

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Orioles Re-Sign Albert Suárez

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:20:53 +0000

3:20pm: The O’s have officially announced their singing of Suarez. To open a 40-man spot, righty Dean Kremer was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Kremer has been on the IL since April 20th due to a right quad strain and his 60-day count is retroactive to that date. He will therefore be eligible for reinstatement in about three weeks. He hasn’t yet begun a rehab assignment and is presumably not close to returning.

1:45pm: Right-hander Albert Suarez elected free agency yesterday after the Orioles passed him through waivers unclaimed, but he’s predictably lined up to rejoin the team in short order. Suárez is already back in the Orioles’ clubhouse, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, and the team is expected to finalize a new contract with him and option righty Cameron Weston to Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. That suggests it’ll be a big league deal for Suárez, who’d be available out of the ‘pen for tonight’s game.

As was the case following his last DFA in Baltimore, Suárez near-immediately returns on a new contract. He’s out of minor league options, but both he and the Orioles seem content with an arrangement similar to the one between the Braves and Carlos Carrasco (profiled here earlier today). Effectively, Suárez is something of a 41st man on Baltimore’s 40-man roster. The team will probably continue to add him to the big league roster, DFA him, pass him through waivers, and re-sign him as needed. It’s feasible that another team would claim Suárez at some point, but the O’s could always bake in some friendly terms that make the right-hander likelier to clear.

The 36-year-old Suárez has a 2.75 ERA in 19 2/3 innings with the O’s this season but just a 12.3% strikeout rate and an ugly 11.1% walk rate. His run-prevention numbers have been buoyed by a .186 average on balls in play and 9.2% homer-to-flyball rate, both of which (particularly the former) are likely to regress.

This year’s so-so numbers notwithstanding, Suárez has been an important contributor in Baltimore since returning from a half decade pitching overseas (three years in Japan, two in South Korea). He’s piled up 165 innings in two-plus seasons as an Oriole, logging a 3.49 ERA, 18.6% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate. Most of that work came in 2024; shoulder and elbow injuries combined to limit Suárez to 11 2/3 MLB frames last year. He’s already surpassed that mark in 2026 despite the multiple DFAs.

Since Suárez is out of options and amenable to the on-and-off-the-roster setup the Orioles appear to be using here, there’s a good chance he’ll once again be designated for assignment when the O’s need a fresh arm. The cycle will likely repeat itself at that point, with Suárez passing through waivers, returning on a new deal, and so on. It’s a more tumultuous path than most big leaguers traverse, but Suárez has already picked up 40 days of big league service and pay this season — players accrue service/salary while in DFA limbo — so it’s still a pretty lucrative one, especially for a 36-year-old with fewer than four years of service under his belt.

Buy & Sell 5/29 – Identifying Who to Add & Who to Drop

Ben Pernick — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:00:57 +0000

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

The post Buy & Sell 5/29 – Identifying Who to Add & Who to Drop appeared first on Pitcher List.

Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 20:00:50 +0000

Anthony Franco

Hey all, hope you're well!
I've been under the weather all week so going to keep this one right at an hour, let's get it going

NL Central

I suggested in a previous chat that Nolan Arenado and Wilson Contreras would have the same fate as other hitters leaving STL/Busch, and it was met with skepticism. I had been hurt too often before. Nolan Arenado is running a wRC+ higher than all but one of his seasons in STL. Same for Willson. Is it just Busch or is it the dev team, or the hitting coaches? Seems crazy how often this happens.

Anthony Franco

Contreras had stretches like this with STL. This is a little above his baseline but he's been a well above-average hitter everywhere he's been
I think you have more of a case with Arenado's rebound but it's mostly coming at home, where Chase Field definitely plays more hitter-friendly than Busch, and probably has more to do with improved health than anything else
Interesting debate with how little they've gotten from Gorman if they were better off holding Arenado than giving him away. Felt at the time like everyone needed the clean break, especially with where the organization was going, but you're probably looking at a win or two difference at third base in a season where the Cards are more competitive than they thought they'd be

Mike d

Thoughts on a trade that would center around Matt McClain and top prospect for Duran? Boston and Cincy players could both use change of scenery.

Anthony Franco

McLain's not doing anything for me at this point but I wouldn't give up a "top prospect" for Duran so I guess that's the bigger thing

my braves hit the ground running this year which is rare for my tenure.who do i trade for at the deadline? righty corner OF? starting pitcher? shortstop? bullpen? all seem like options but im ready for the big move. who is it and what will it cost?
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Cardinals Select Nelson Velázquez, Recall Jimmy Crooks

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:20:39 +0000

The Cardinals announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Nelson Velázquez and recalled catcher Jimmy Crooks. The 40-man roster has had a vacancy since left-hander Jared Shuster was designated for assignment a couple of weeks ago, so Velázquez fills that spot. In terms of the active roster, infielder César Prieto and catcher Yohel Pozo have been optioned to Triple-A Memphis.

Velázquez, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Cards in the offseason. He put up a monster .357/.449/.667 line during spring training but nonetheless got sent to Memphis to begin the year. His production in the minors has been more human than what he showed in camp. His 13.5% walk rate is quite good but he has also been striking out at a 29.4% clip while hitting seven home runs. He has a .232/.344/.420 line and 101 wRC+ on the year, indicating he has been barely above average.

That minor league performance is a close match for his big league track record. He has a solid 8.5% walk rate and 31 home runs in 615 plate appearances but a big 28.8% strikeout rate. That has led to a .212/.286/.433 line and 98 wRC+.

There’s clearly some power but also some swing and miss. Since he’s not a strong defender, he really needs to hit to provide value. The uneven performance has led to Velázquez exhausting his option years. He was passed through waivers last year and had to settle for a minor league deal coming into 2026.

It’s possible Velázquez will be filling a complementary role with the Cards. He hasn’t played center field since 2023. Jordan Walker is having a breakout season in right and isn’t in jeopardy of losing playing time. In left, Bryan Torres just got called up and has a .316/.381/.579 line so far. But Velázquez is a righty and both Torres and center fielder Victor Scott II are both lefties. Velázquez only has modest splits in his career but could nonetheless help the Cards play some matchups.

It’s also worth considering the designated hitter spot, as Velázquez is in there tonight against left-hander Shota Imanaga. The Cards have been giving a decent amount of DH time to catcher Iván Herrera, which is why they have been running a three-catcher system. Alongside Herrera, they have also had Pozo and Pedro Pagés on the roster. It’s unclear what their plan is with swapping in Crooks for Pozo today. Pozo has a dismal .242/.242/.273 line on the year but has only received 33 plate appearances in over two months on the roster.

Crooks is one of the club’s best prospects and has a huge .262/.412/.567 line in Triple-A this year but has presumably been held down because there hasn’t been a lot of big league playing time for him. Herrera has a .264/.390/.423 line and is going to be the lineup most days, either behind the plate or at designated hitter. Perhaps the recall of Crooks signals reduced playing time for Pagés, who is hitting just .219/.262/.360 on the year.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Front Office Subscriber Chat With Anthony Franco

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:00:50 +0000

MLBTR’s Anthony Franco is holding a live chat, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers!

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