MLB 2026 Buzz: Shohei Ohtani Removed After Getting Hit By Pitch

The offseason and spring training are behind us, but there’s plenty of MLB news left to cover. Here are the noteworthy transactions, injuries and more from the 2026 season. May 26 Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani was removed in the fourth inning shortly after a pitch from Colorado Rockies’ LHP Kyle Freeland struck him on the hands. Ohtani briefly remained in the game, ultimately scoring on a double from outfielder Andy Pages. However, he didn’t appear in his next at-bat as Dalton Rushing came in to pinch hit. Ohtani is scheduled to start on Wednesday against the Rockies. The Tampa Bay Rays signed right-handed reliever Craig Kimbrel to a major-league contract on Tuesday to shore up their bullpen; the Rays placed right-hander Jesse Scholtens on the 15-day injured list with a right wrist strain to make room for Kimbrel on the active roster. The New York Mets designated Kimbrel for assignment on Friday after the nine-time All-Star allowed 10 runs over 15 innings in 14 appearances. He signed a free agent contract with the team in January. The 37-year-old Kimbrel has 440 saves with 10 teams in his 17-year career. He won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and was the 2011 NL Rookie of the Year. The Rays have the AL’s best record at 34-17, but their bullpen’s ERA of 4.40 is 21st in the majors. The Chicago White Sox announced Tuesday that pitcher Noah Schultz has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right patellar tendinitis. It remains unclear when Schultz will return to the field. In a corresponding move, the White Sox recalled right-handed pitcher David Sandlin from Triple-A Charlotte. Schultz entered the season as the organization’s top pitching prospect and was called up to the majors on April 12. Through eight starts, he posted a 5.82 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP while recording 33 strikeouts across 38.2 innings pitched. The Athletics are calling up one of their top prospects in left-handed reliever Gage Jump, according to ESPN. Jump is regarded as one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in baseball and ranks as the organization’s No. 3 overall prospect Jump was selected with the No. 73 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and is expected to join the Athletics’ bullpen immediately. His fastball reaches up to 97 mph, and he has recorded 56 strikeouts in 38 innings at Triple-A while posting a 3.58 ERA across 150.2 innings over two minor league seasons. The Athletics currently sit atop the American League West with a 27-27 record. May 23 Houston Astros slugger Yordan Álvarez left Saturday’s game against the Chicago Cubs in the middle of an at-bat in the sixth inning because of back spasms. After fouling off a pitch from Colin Rea to fall behind 0-2, Alvarez appeared to be in discomfort. Zach Dezenzo stepped in as a pinch-hitter, and swung and missed on the next pitch to complete the strikeout. Álvarez was chatting with the training staff in the on-deck circle before the at-bat, his third of the game. The three-time All-Star is batting .300 with 15 homers and 31 RBIs. The scuffling Chicago Cubs recalled outfielder Kevin Alcántara from Triple-A Iowa before their game Saturday against the Houston Astros and designated infielder Nicky Lopez for assignment. Slumping four-time Gold Glove left fielder Ian Happ was out of the lineup, replaced by Michael Conforto as Chicago tried to end a six-game losing streak. The Cubs are 2-10 following a 20-3 run that included two separate 10-game win streaks and had propelled them to 27-12, the best record in the majors on May 8. The 23-year-old Alcántara was batting .242 with 15 home runs and 32 RBIs and a .906 OPS in 41 games with Iowa. His 15 homers were tied for the most by a Triple-A player entering Saturday. Alcántara has played in 13 games with the Cubs during call-ups over the past two seasons and has a .238 average with one RBI in 22 plate appearances. The Cubs acquired Lopez from the Colorado Rockies on April 23; he went 0 for 5 in four games. Chicago has scored 18 runs during its six-game slide and Happ, in his 10th season, has struggled. The switch-hitting 31-year-old has only one hit and two walks in his past six games, while striking out 14 times in 26 plate appearances. “I think the thing from yesterday is we just need to give Ian a break,” manager Craig Counsell said. “And look, we’ve got a lot of guys not hitting. That’s kind of why we’re in the middle of this right? “But I think Ian’s feeling it the most, and so he’s the guy we’re giving a break to.” Counsell said Alcántara figures to see playing time as he shakes up his club. “Kevin’s on the roster,” Counsell said. “You know there are spots to get him in there.” May 22 Struggling Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story could be out several weeks after sports hernia surgery. The team announced on Friday what it said was a successful procedure by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia. Story sat out the opener of Boston’s three-game series at the Atlanta Braves last week and was placed on the 10-day injured list the following day. He told reporters in Atlanta that he was weighing his options but that surgery could keep him out for as many as 10 weeks. The two-time All-Star played in 41 of the Red Sox’s first 43 games and is batting .206 with three homers in his fifth season in Boston. He has also committed six errors. His .547 OPS ranks 165th of 173 qualified hitters. Andruw Monasterio has started in Story’s place in four of the past six games, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa starting the other two. But interim manager Chad Tracy said the team would evaluate the possibility of moving second baseman Marcelo Mayer to shortstop if it appeared Story will be out for an extended period. That is now a reality. Story joins outfielder Roman Anthony (right wrist sprain) and Garrett Crochet (left shoulder inflammation) on the IL for the Red Sox, who enter Friday’s three-game series with the Minnesota Twins fourth in the AL East. Marlins left-hander Robby Snelling will undergo surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow, ending his season after just one major league start. Snelling, the team’s No. 2 prospect, was called up from Triple-A Jacksonville earlier this month and made his MLB debut in a loss to Washington on May 8, giving up three runs on five hits while walking four in five innings. He later reported discomfort in his left elbow after a bullpen sessions, and an MRI revealed a sprained UCL. Snelling was evaluated Thursday in Dallas by Dr. Keith Meister, who recommended surgery, the team said. A recovery timeline will be given following Friday’s surgery. “Disappointing for him and us,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “That’s an unfortunate part of our industry. Guys go down. We just keep going, and Robby will come back from this a stronger person.” McCullough said the Marlins will try different pitchers to fill the fifth spot in the rotation, mentioning Braxton Garrett, who was optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville on Wednesday, and Tyler Phillips, who has allowed four earned runs with 27 strikeouts in 30 relief innings this season. “We have some others in Jacksonville that have thrown the ball well and (can) potentially get that opportunity,” he said. “We have ways here with the group we have that we can cover those games. So I think that we’ll just continue to kick the tires on what we think is best. And guys will have chances to step into that spot and have a chance to perform here.” New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham was relieved that tests did not reveal any structural damage to his left knee on Thursday, a day after he exited a game in the fifth inning. “Last night I was pretty optimistic just with how I was feeling there would be no structural damage but still good to get the news,” Grisham said before the Yankees concluded a four-game series against Toronto. Grisham grimaced at second base after his bloop double fell between left fielder Yohendrick Pinango and third baseman Kazuma Okamoto in the second inning of Wednesday’s 2-1 loss. The 29-year-old remained in the game until Spencer Jones replaced him in center in the fifth. Jones made his second start in center Thursday after playing 22 games there for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Grisham is hitting .174 with six homers and 27 RBIs. While his batting average is the fourth-lowest in the majors among qualifying hitters, Grisham has the third-most RBIs among center fielders. Acquired from the Padres in December of 2023 along with Juan Soto, Grisham returned to the Yankees on the one-year, $22,025,000 qualifying offer in the offseason after batting .235 with a career-high 34 homers and 74 RBIs in 143 games. May 21 The Pittsburgh Pirates have called up Esmerlyn Valdez from AAA Indianapolis to make his MLB debut Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays. Valdez is a versatile prospect who can play outfield and first base. Valdez is batting .253 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs through 46 games at the minor league level in 2026. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Stubal threw another bullpen session on Thursday, his third since his rehab program from elbow surgery began. The two-time American League Cy Young Award winner underwent a non-invasive procedure on his left pitching elbow on May 6 to remove a loose body. He threw his latest bullpen session prior to Detroit’s home game against Cleveland. Manager A.J. Hinch called it a “great step” but stopped short of saying when Skubal might return to action. “There are little hurdles to clear along the way when you come back from a procedure,” Hinch said. “As much as we described it as simple, it’s still a procedure.” Skubal used his full arsenal while throwing a total of 35 pitches, taking a breather in-between to simulate a break between innings. “His velocity was as high as it’s been since his throwing started,” Hinch said. “He sat down and came back and did like a simulated second inning. That’s encouraging and it’s full stuff.” Skubal will travel with the team during its weekend series in Baltimore and throw another bullpen session. The team’s medical and coaching staff will determine his next step afterward. Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts this season. He’ll be a free agent after the season. May 20 Not only have the Seattle Mariners made headlines with top prospect Colton Emerson making an early impact, but it’s already creating ripple effects in the clubhouse. Shortstop J.P. Crawford has already approached manager Dan Wilson about moving to third base, per The Seattle Times. “I just want to be there for him,” Crawford said. “We’re on the same team. We all have the same goal, and that’s to win a World Series. And the sooner you could get comfy here, the better.” The expectation was that Emerson would be the full-time third baseman moving forward, shifting away from his natural shortstop position. With Crawford open to the change, there is still no update on whether the Mariners will officially make the move. Emerson is the top prospect in the Mariners’ farm system and ranked No. 6 overall in baseball. He signed an eight-year, $95 million extension before the season, marking the largest commitment at the time to a minor leaguer who had not yet made his MLB debut. The Chicago Cubs’ injury woes continued with the latest setback involving starting pitcher Edward Cabrera. He exited Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth inning with a blister on his right middle finger, the team announced Trent Thornton entered in relief of Cabrera after the injury. Prior to exiting, Cabrera’s fastball velocity had noticeably dipped, with his final pitch clocked at 92.5 mph — his slowest fastball of the season. Cabrera has struggled at times early in his first season with the Cubs after being acquired from the Miami Marlins this offseason. He has posted a 4.06 ERA with a 1.31 WHIP and 45 strikeouts across 51 innings pitched. May 19 The Houston Astros scratched pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. from his scheduled start against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night due to shoulder inflammation, manager Joe Espada said. McCullers is traveling back to Houston to be evaluated by team doctors. Espada said Lance McCullers Jr. has been pitching through the injury “for a while” and has since been placed on the 15-day injured list. McCullers Jr. has struggled on the mound for the Astros this season. In eight appearances for the club, he has posted a 2-3 record with a 6.86 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and 43 strikeouts across 39.1 innings pitched. The Los Angeles Dodgers have moved LHP Eric Lauer to the active roster and optioned RHP Wyatt Miller, the team announced. Lauer was recently acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays to add depth to the Dodgers pitching room, amidst the lingering injuries of pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. While Lauer will be in the bullpen, he’ll become the Dodgers sixth starter starting next week. With Lauer’s move, the Dodgers also optioned Mills, who returns to Oklahoma City after his four appearances where he allowed seven walks and four runs in 3.1 innings. Lauer has not been a star this year, but his 2025 season is impressive. Lauer pitched 5.2 innings in the World Series, against the Dodgers, and pitched 4.2 innings in Game 3, which went to 18 innings. New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole is set to make his season debut Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to manager Aaron Boone. Cole has been sidelined since undergoing Tommy John surgery last March and has not pitched since the 2024 World Series. Not only do the Yankees already boast one of the best rotations in baseball, but Gerrit Cole has long been among the sport’s elite arms. He won the 2023 Cy Young Award, becoming the first Yankee to earn the honor since Roger Clemens in 2001. In his last season with the Yankees in 2024, Cole went 8-5 with a 3.18 ERA, 99 strikeouts, and a 1.19 WHIP over 95 innings pitched. The Atlanta Braves placed catcher Drake Baldwin on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain. Baldwin has played in every game this season for Atlanta to tie for the National League lead of 48, in part because fellow backstop Sean Murphy is on the IL with a fractured finger, and hit .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year played in the series opener against the Miami Marlins on Monday but was replaced after his third plate appearance in the sixth inning of Atlanta’s 12-0 loss. “Everyone deals with this,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday. “It’s part of a major league season. Virtually every team is going to deal with their fair share of injuries. It’s tough when it happens to your best players. You’ve got to find a way to get through it and guys have to step up.” Weiss added that Baldwin initially felt a slight discomfort after his second at-bat but not painful enough to warrant his removal. Veteran catcher Sandy León is already on the roster with Murphy out, but as Baldwin is tied with slugging first baseman Matt Olson for the team lead in OPS+, he will be a downgrade even if he hits well over a short stretch. Baldwin has been a huge part of the Braves’ excellent offense and an MLB-best +86 run differential. This was one of a flurry of moves by Atlanta on Tuesday. mostly involving relievers. Lefty reliever Aaron Bummer was released and righty JR Ritchie was optioned to Triple-A, opening up another two roster spots, which were then used to recall right-hander Victor Mederos, promote catcher Chadwick Tromp and activate southpaw Dylan Dodd from the IL. The Minnesota Twins demoted former No. 1 draft pick Royce Lewis to the minor leagues, the team announced Tuesday. The Twins also designated right-handed pitcher Justin Topa for assignment and placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a left hamate bone fracture. Right-handed pitcher Travis Adams was recalled from Triple-A St. Paul, and the Twins selected the contracts of infielder Orlando Arcia and catcher Alex Jackson. Lewis heads to the minors after struggling following his return from a sprained left knee. Since returning from the injured list on April 21, the third baseman has struck out 25 times in 68 plate appearances while batting just .132 with one home run and five RBIs. Before the injury, Lewis hit .222 with two doubles, two homers, eight RBIs and an .822 OPS in 12 games. The Twins made a similar move last week, demoting right fielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A St. Paul. May 18 The Washington Nationals are recalling outfielder Dylan Crews to the major league roster, per The Athletic. Crews began the season in Triple-A after a difficult spring training and was optioned ahead of Opening Day. Crews was optioned to Rochester in March for a planned reset of his swing mechanics and to rebuild his offensive confidence. The Washington Nationals made the move after he struggled throughout spring training, batting just .103. Through two seasons in the pros, Crews has appeared in 116 games for the Washington Nationals. In that span, he has posted a .211 batting average with 13 home runs and 35 RBIs, along with a .634 OPS. The Atlanta Braves are activating outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins, the team announced. Acuña has been sidelined since May 2 due to a strained left hamstring. To make room for Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves placed infielder Kyle Farmer on the 10-day injured list with a strained right forearm, retroactive to May 16. Acuña Jr. is a key addition back to the Braves’ lineup, bringing a consistent impact at the plate since his 2018 debut. This season, he has hit .252 with two home runs, nine RBIs, and a .740 OPS across 34 games. The Texas Rangers placed shortstop Corey Seager on the 10-day injured list with lower back inflammation, the team announced. Seager took a scheduled day off on Friday before waking up with back spasms on Saturday, causing him to miss the series against the Houston Astros. “He’s just too valuable and important to the rest of our season,” Manager Chris Young said. “Our anticipation is this will give him the chance to reset mentally.” In a corresponding move, the Rangers promoted utility player Michael Helman from Triple-A to replace Seager on the roster. Seager has struggled offensively this season, batting .179 with seven home runs and 20 RBIs through 42 games. He could return as early as next Monday when the Rangers open a seven-game homestand. The Chicago White Sox’s top prospect and catcher, Kyle Teel, has yet to play this season after suffering a right hamstring strain while playing in the World Baseball Classic. He had recently begun a rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte as he worked toward a return. However, Teel’s recovery suffered another setback Saturday night when he injured his right knee during the rehab stint. He was diagnosed with a right knee LCL sprain, the team announced Monday. Teel is expected to miss 3-to-6 weeks for recovery and rehab before returning to play. Not only is Teel viewed as one of the top prospects in the organization, but he is also expected to be a key piece of the team’s young core moving forward. He showed that potential last season, posting a .273 batting average with eight home runs, 35 RBIs and a .786 OPS across 78 games. May 17 The Houston Astros are placing second baseman Jose Altuve on the injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain, per The Athletic. Altuve sustained the injury Saturday and underwent imaging Sunday, which revealed the severity of the strain. The Astros have not announced a timetable for Altuve’s return to the field. Altuve has appeared in 42 games for the Astros this season, posting a .245 batting average with four home runs and 12 RBIs. His absence leaves Houston without one of the most experienced bats and leaders in its lineup moving forward. The Seattle Mariners are promoting top infield prospect Colt Emerson, the team announced. With Brendan Donovan on the 10-day injured list because of a groin injury, Emerson is expected to take over as the team’s primary third baseman moving forward. Emerson, 20, is the Mariners’ top prospect and the No. 6 overall prospect in baseball. He signed an eight-year, $95 million contract this past offseason, the largest deal in MLB history for a player without any major league service time. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said promoting Emerson was an unexpected move that quickly came together following Donovan’s injury. “We want to do the right thing for Colt,” Hollander said. “We also want to do the right thing for the Mariners. We think he’s the best option. This period will get him some runway. This is not a 15 at-bat or 20 at-bat tryout to see if he’s capable of taking the job and running with it for the rest of the year.” The Los Angeles Dodgers are trading for Toronto Blue Jays reliever Eric Lauer after placing right-hander Brusdar Graterol on the 60-day IL. The corresponding move for Graterol is from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL, creating room for Lauer. The Dodgers acquired Lauer in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later. Reliever Jack Dreyer became the latest Dodgers pitcher placed on the injured list Sunday, prompting a move to add Lauer for bullpen depth. Lauer is 1-5 this season with the Blue Jays and has put together a 6.69 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. May 16 Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Angels, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that pitcher Blake Snell will undergo surgery on Tuesday and will miss significant time, per Katie Woo. Initially, Snell was scratched from Friday’s starting lineup and placed on the 15-day injured list. “He’s going to get surgery on Tuesday, as I understand it, it’s going to be to take out those loose bodies, and it’s supposed to be a lot quicker recovery, so we’re encouraged about that, and [we] expect him certainly back this season,” Roberts said before Saturday’s game. Snell was expected to make his second start of the season on Friday against the Angels after missing significant time dealing with shoulder inflammation. Against the Braves, Snell threw three innings of 77 pitches and allowed five runs. The Toronto Blue Jays could be without right-hander José Berríos for the remainder of the season after the veteran pitcher is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery Wednesday. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Saturday that Dr. Keith Meister will repair a stress fracture in Berríos’ elbow and also evaluate possible ligament damage during the procedure. The team will not know the full extent of the injury or Berríos’ timetable for recovery until the surgery is completed. “There may be some ligament stuff going on,” Schneider said. Berríos, 31, has not pitched in the majors this season after elbow inflammation was first detected during a routine MRI while he was attempting to join Puerto Rico for the World Baseball Classic in spring training. A later examination revealed the stress fracture. Berríos tried to work his way back, making four rehab starts at Triple-A Buffalo, but continued discomfort after his May 3 outing prompted another visit with Meister. He struggled during the rehab assignment, with a 10.67 ERA over 14 1/3 innings. Last season, Berríos went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA in 31 appearances for Toronto before landing on the injured list in September with elbow inflammation; he missed the Blue Jays’ run to the 2025 World Series. May 15 The Los Angeles Dodgers have scratched left-handed pitcher Blake Snell from Friday’s start against the Los Angeles Angels, per Katie Woo. The Dodgers will instead turn to a bullpen game, with Will Klein expected to serve as the starter in the first game of the Freeway Series. There is currently no official reason for the late scratch, though Snell was set to make just his second start since returning from shoulder fatigue that forced him to begin the 2026 season on the injured list. The two-time Cy Young winner made his season debut last Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, allowing four runs across three innings. Snell originally was expected to continue building up in the minor leagues before injuries in the Dodgers rotation accelerated his return to the majors. Now, after just one appearance, uncertainty once again surrounds his status moving forward. The Dodgers are expected to provide more clarity on Snell’s condition later Friday evening. Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has started playing catch and soft tossing, just over a week after elbow surgery. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner had a procedure on May 6 to remove a loose body in his pitching elbow, which was described as minimally invasive. When the Tigers placed the 29-year-old left-hander on the 15-day injured list in a move effective May 4, the team projected he would miss two to three months. “Tarik has started his throwing program, which is significant news just that it’s increased his rehab progression to the next phase, which is really exciting,” manager A.J. Hinch said Friday. “We thought this procedure would lead to a step-by-step process and this next step is literally the throwing program. So he initiated that earlier this week and will continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen.” Skubal felt irritation in his last start, on April 29 against the Atlanta Braves, but he remained in the game and struck out the side in his seventh and final inning. He was scratched on the day of his next scheduled start. “He obviously feels great,” Hinch said. ‘I was texting back and forth with him last night, and he was super excited about just the general feeling. It doesn’t feel weird, it doesn’t feel awkward. It’s not guarded. “I’ve seen video of it. We’re in touch with him daily about the program,” Hinch added. “And that sort of freedom, mentally and physically, I think, is a great sign. We’ve been in touch with the doctor and making sure that we’re going by the protocol because this is a unique set of circumstances, throwing so soon.” Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.70 ERA in seven starts, striking out 45 batters and walking six in 43 ⅓ innings. He has a $32 million salary after winning in arbitration and is eligible for free agency after the World Series. “If there’s any sort of soreness, fatigue, lack of execution, things like that, we can get to the baseball [part of the rehab] once we clear any of the swelling,” Hinch said. New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried will be sidelined for at least two weeks and perhaps longer because of a bone bruise of his left elbow. The 32-year-old had an MRI and CT scan Thursday, a day after he cut short a start at Baltimore following the third inning. He also was examined by Yankees team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. New York said Friday that Fried will be placed on the 15-day injured list and the imaging will be reviewed by Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The Yankees said repeat imaging will be taken in a few weeks or when Fried is asymptomatic to determine when he can resume throwing. A more specific return projection will be determined then. Fried is 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 starts this season after going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA and making the All-Star team in his first season after leaving Atlanta to sign a $218 million, eight-year contract with the Yankees. New York appears to have decent starting depth. Carlos Rodon rejoined the Yankees’ rotation last weekend after recovering from surgery last October to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur. Gerrit Cole is nearing a return from elbow ligament replacement surgery in March 2025. Cole has made five minor league rehab starts, and Boone said the 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner will make two or three more. Cole is scheduled to start Saturday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York’s rotation also includes Cam Schlittler, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers. May 14 The Seattle Mariners placed catcher Cal Raleigh on the 10-day injured list on Thursday morning with a right oblique strain, the first IL stint of the AL MVP runner-up’s career in his sixth major-league season. The 29-year-old Raleigh was mired in the longest hitless streak in the majors this season before breaking out on Tuesday night with two singles in a 10-2 rout of the Houston Astros. On Wednesday, Raleigh left the Mariners’ 4-3 loss to Houston in the eighth inning after appearing to aggravate an injury to his right side. Raleigh missed three games from May 2-4 with soreness on his right side. “Nobody wants to go on the IL, and especially not Cal [Raleigh],” manager Dan Wilson said. “But I think, at this point, it’s the smart thing to do.” In 41 games this season, Raleigh is hitting .161 with seven home runs, 18 RBI, four doubles, 18 walks and 16 runs. His .161 batting average is second-lowest in the majors among hitters with enough at-bats to qualify. Only Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Cedric Mullins (.150) has a lower average. To fill Raleigh’s spot on the active roster, the Mariners recalled catcher Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A Tacoma. Pereda, 30, has appeared in two games with Seattle this season, hitting .400 with a run scored. Juan Soto returned to the starting lineup Thursday for the injury-riddled New York Mets, who also learned Francisco Lindor has progressed in his recovery from a strained left calf. Soto exited a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning on Wednesday night, four innings after he fouled a ball off his right foot. X-rays were negative and Soto was penciled into the lineup as the designated hitter for the matinee finale against the Tigers. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Lindor, who was injured April 22 while scoring from first on a double hit by Francisco Alvarez, underwent an MRI Wednesday that showed “signs of healing,” though the All-Star shortstop is nowhere near a return. Mendoza said Lindor has been cleared to do more work in the weight room before beginning a running program. “Positive sign,” Mendoza said. “We’ve just got to let it heal.” Mendoza said there was no timetable for Lindor to begin baseball activities. Lindor has been sidelined for the Mets’ last 18 games — four more than he missed the previous four seasons combined. Alvarez, who suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee while fouling off a pitch in Tuesday’s 10-2 win over the Tigers, underwent surgery Thursday morning. Mendoza said the Mets expect Alvarez to miss up to eight weeks. The Minnesota Twins sent struggling right fielder Matt Wallner to their Triple-A team and promoted right-handed pitcher Zebby Matthews to start against the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Wallner is batting just .167 with three doubles and four home runs in 120 at-bats and a .551 OPS. The 28-year-old struck out in eight straight at-bats prior to the demotion and has 53 strikeouts in 135 plate appearances, the worst whiff rate in Major League Baseball. Wallner hit a career-high 22 home runs in 104 games last season after posting robust OPS marks in part-time duty of .877 in 2023 and .894 in 2024. Matthews went for 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 18 innings over his last three Triple-A starts for the St. Paul Saints. Matthews made 16 starts for the Twins last season, but he was the odd man out for the rotation at the end of spring training. The Twins placed right-hander Taj Bradley on the injured list with inflammation in his right pectoral muscle last week, joining All-Star right-hander Pablo López and rookie right-hander Mick Abel on the shelf. López is out for the season following Tommy John elbow surgery, and Abel recently had a setback in his recovery from elbow inflammation. Matthews was promoted so the Twins could push back rookie Connor Prielipp’s next start to manage his workload, but right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson’s spot in the rotation is tenuous, too. Woods Richardson allowed eight runs in three innings on Wednesday in a 9-5 loss to the Marlins, and his ERA spiked to 7.71. The Twins also sent right-handed reliever Travis Adams to St. Paul and recalled utility player Ryan Kreidler for his second stay with the club. Kreidler played third base and center field over a five-game stint last month. May 13 After putting together a 15-year MLB career that included multiple accolades and two World Series titles, Jason Heyward is making the transition to the front office. Heyward is set to join the Los Angeles Dodgers front office as a special assistant, per the Los Angeles Times. Manager Dave Roberts said Jason Heyward will travel to different affiliates to observe talent in his new role. Heyward returns to the Dodgers after spending two seasons with the organization, including helping the club win the 2024 World Series. The Miami Marlins are placing left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling on the 15-day IL with a UCL sprain, the team announced. Snelling is the No. 2 prospect in the Marlins organization and the No. 29 overall prospect in baseball. Snelling is coming off his MLB debut, where he threw five innings against the Washington Nationals, allowing three earned runs while striking out two. He showed flashes of command but struggled to consistently miss bats in his first big-league outing. Manager Clayton McCullough announced that Braxton Garrett will start against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday and fill his spot in the rotation. The New York Mets are placing catcher Francisco Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with a right knee meniscus tear, the team announced Wednesday. He is expected to miss significant time, and a timetable for his return will be determined as more information becomes available. Alvarez was injured in the sixth inning during the Mets’ 10-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Not only will Alvarez be missed behind the plate, but he also provided a steady presence in the Mets’ lineup. He put together a  .241 batting average with four home runs and 10 RBIs, posting a .710 OPS across 37 games this season. The Mets have the fourth-worst record in baseball at 16–25 and sit last in the National League East. New York Yankees left-hander Max Fried was pulled from Wednesday’s start at the Baltimore Orioles after just three innings due to left elbow posterior soreness, the team announced. Fried went straight up the tunnel after Baltimore scored twice in the third inning, and New York had Paul Blackburn warming in the bullpen while batting in the fourth. Fried allowed three runs and five hits. In his previous start at the Milwaukee Brewers, he permitted five runs in six innings. He has repeatedly dealt with blister issues on his left finger, making four trips to the injured list from 2018-23 while with the Atlanta Braves and taking an extended layoff last year around the MLB All-Star break. Fried was an All-Star in 2025, his first season with the Yankees. The 32-year-old has posted a 3.21 ERA in 10 starts this season. The Cincinnati Reds are expected to sign veteran right-hander Chris Paddack, per FOX 19’s Charlie Goldsmith. The deal is expected to run through the rest of the season as the Reds deal with rotation injuries to Hunter Greene, Brandon Williamson and Rhett Lowder. Paddack was released by the Marlins on May 10 after signing a one-year, $4 million deal in the offseason. He made seven starts for Miami, posting a 7.63 ERA and 1.66 WHIP with 27 strikeouts across 30.2 innings. Shohei Ohtani is getting a break from the batter’s box for two days. The struggling Los Angeles Dodgers superstar hit just his second home run in his last 24 games — an opposite field solo shot to left-center in a 6-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. It ended an 11-game homerless streak, which tied his longest as a Dodger. Ohtani finished the game going 2-for-4 with two runs, an RBI and a walk. The rest of the team was 2-for-25 with four walks. He has seven home runs on the season and is batting .240. Despite this, manager Dave Roberts said after the game that Ohtani won’t be in the lineup as the designated hitter Wednesday when he also starts against the Giants. Earlier, Roberts said he was giving Ohtani a day from hitting Thursday, although he would be available late if the outcome hangs in the balance. “It might just be a good thing to take a little bit of a load off of his plate offensively,” Roberts said before the game. “I just can’t take for granted what’s on his plate and so I’m trying to be sensitive.” As Ohtani goes, so have the Dodgers (24-18). They remained a half-game behind NL West-leading San Diego despite their fourth loss in a row. Andy Pages (.318 average) and Max Muncy (.272) have been LA’s best hitters so far, while the rest of the lineup is struggling, including Freddie Freeman (.276) and Kyle Tucker (.253). Ohtani is in his first full season as a two-way player for the Dodgers. Coming off two major right elbow surgeries, he was limited to the DH role in 2024, when he created the 50/50 club, with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, was named NL MVP and the Dodgers won the World Series. Cal Raleigh was desperate to shake things up while mired in the longest hitless streak in the majors this season. So on the advice of pitcher Logan Gilbert, Seattle’s star catcher showered in full uniform after Monday night’s game. And on Tuesday night, things went his way for the first time all month as he snapped an 0-for-38 slump with two singles in a 10-2 rout of the Houston Astros. “Logan gave me some good advice to wash off the bad mojo or juju from the baseball gods,” Raleigh said. “So yeah, it worked. He was right, so I got to give him credit where credit’s due.” Raleigh’s hit in the seventh inning was his first since April 27. He was 0 for 2 with a walk Tuesday when he connected off Jayden Murray with one out in the inning. Last year’s AL MVP runner-up raised his arms high above his head and smiled toward the dugout after he reached first base following the line drive to center field. Many in the Seattle dugout cheered after he got the hit. But his first emotion wasn’t elation or even relief when he connected. “I was kind of just like rolling my eyes because I knew everybody was going to be making a big deal about it,” Raleigh said with a laugh. “But yeah, it felt good to barrel one up.” May 12 Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson was officially placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after dislocating his left shoulder. He suffered the injury on Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Orioles while diving for an infield single. Wilson is coming off an All-Star season and is off to another strong start, helping the Athletics sit atop the American League West with a 21–19 record. Not only is Wilson making an impact in the field, but he’s also off to a strong start at the plate for the Athletics. Through 39 games this season, he’s batting .293 with three home runs, 19 RBIs, and a .709 OPS. The Pittsburgh Pirates officially placed catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a left foot infection. In a corresponding move, the team recalled catcher Endy Rodríguez from Triple-A Indianapolis to take his spot on the roster. Bart has appeared in 21 games this season, batting .259 with two home runs, six RBIs and a .670 OPS. Rodríguez was once viewed as a potential long-term option behind the plate for Pittsburgh, but he has spent the past two-plus seasons working his way back after undergoing multiple elbow surgeries. He now gets a chance to prove himself at the major league level with Bart sidelined. The Atlanta Braves announced on X that they have placed catcher Sean Murphy on the injured list after he suffered a fractured left middle finger. It marks another frustrating setback after Murphy already missed the first month of the 2026 season while recovering from hip surgery before returning to play just four games. In those four games, Murphy had just one hit in 14 at-bats. The injury occurred during a catcher’s interference play in Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, and manager Walt Weiss said Murphy could be sidelined for up to eight weeks. Because of Murphy’s injury, the Braves brought back 37-year-old catcher Sandy León to provide depth behind the plate. León originally signed with Atlanta as a non-roster invitee in February but failed to make the Opening Day roster and was released in April to pursue an opportunity in the Mexican League. León has played in MLB for 14 seasons and won a World Series title with the Boston Red Sox in 2018. He appeared in five games for the Braves in 2025, recording just one hit in 12 at-bats. The Milwaukee Brewers announced on X that they have officially activated Christian Yelich from the injured list. Yelich is set to rejoin the club Tuesday for a three-game homestand against the San Diego Padres. To open a roster spot for Yelich, the Brewers have optioned first baseman/outfielder Tyler Black to Triple-A Nashville. Having not played since April 12, Yelich missed exactly one month with an adductor strain and is now set to return to a Brewers team that has been red hot. Coming off a sweep of the New York Yankees, Milwaukee has won four straight games and seven of its last 10, moving into second place in the NL Central and within 3.5 games of the Chicago Cubs. Prior to his injury, Yelich was batting .314 with one home run and 10 RBIs in just 51 plate appearances. The New York Yankees are expected to recall shortstop Anthony Volpe from Triple-A Scranton, per Francys Romero. Volpe is set to rejoin the club for his season debut following the injury to infielder José Caballero. Caballero is expected to be placed on the 10-day injured list with a finger injury, prompting the Yankees to recall Volpe to add depth at shortstop. Volpe has spent the start of the season in Scranton after opening the year outside of New York’s major league roster. Volpe is coming off a difficult 2025 season at the plate, hitting .212 with 19 home runs, 72 RBIs and a .663 OPS across 153 games for the Yankees. Desperate to spark a stagnant lineup, the New York Mets are calling up outfield prospect A.J. Ewing after just 12 games with Triple-A Syracuse, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Monday night. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not yet announced the move. The 21-year-old Ewing will be added to the roster before Tuesday night’s series opener against the Detroit Tigers at Citi Field. He was batting .326 with three doubles, a triple and four RBIs in 51 plate appearances at Syracuse. He had drawn five walks, stolen five bases and scored nine runs. The speedy center fielder is New York’s second-ranked minor league prospect behind pitcher Jonah Tong, according to MLB.com. Luis Robert Jr., the team’s opening-day center fielder, is on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation. Also missing star shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Jorge Polanco because of injuries, the Mets (15-25) entered Monday with the worst record in the majors and an offense that lags near the bottom in many significant statistical categories. Ewing also has experience at second base and both corner outfield spots. He reached Double-A Binghamton last year, hitting .339 in 28 games, and batted .349 with a 1.053 OPS and 12 steals in 18 games at that level this season before getting promoted to Syracuse. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Ewing, a left-handed hitter, was a fourth-round draft pick by the Mets in 2023 out of Springboro High School in Ohio. The club will need to open a 40-man roster spot for him Tuesday. The Los Angeles Dodgers added to their outfield depth by acquiring Alek Thomas in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. Thomas was batting just .181 with two homers and 10 RBIs when he was designated for assignment by Arizona last week. But the speedy Thomas is a solid defender, and he could be used by Los Angeles as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner. The Dodgers sent outfield prospect Jose Requena to the Diamondbacks. To make room for Thomas on the 40-man roster, outfielder Michael Siani was designated for assignment. Thomas was selected by Arizona in the second round of the 2018 amateur draft. He made his major league debut in 2022. Thomas had his share of big moments with the Diamondbacks, particularly during the team’s run to the 2023 World Series. He hit four homers during the postseason, including a tying two-run shot against the Phillies in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series. The 26-year-old Thomas is a .230 hitter with 31 homers, 143 RBIs and 28 steals in 448 career games. May 11 Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt is set to miss his second consecutive game with a viral infection. Bench coach Tony Arnerich is set to step in for Vogt on Monday night when the Guardians host the Los Angeles Angels. Vogt is expected to return to manage the Guardians on Tuesday night. The Los Angeles Dodgers are officially activating shortstop Mookie Betts from the injured list ahead of Monday night’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants, the team announced. This will be the first time Mookie Betts has been in the Dodgers lineup since April 4 against the Washington Nationals. Betts has been sidelined with a right oblique strain since then and is returning after a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City. In a corresponding move to make room for Betts, the Dodgers are optioning infielder Alex Freeland to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been scratched from his scheduled start Monday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to left side tightness. Jake Junis is expected to start in Eovaldi’s place. Eovaldi is 4-4 this season with a 4.15 ERA and 1.17 WHIP while recording 47 strikeouts across 47.2 innings pitched. The Rangers will likely monitor the veteran closely moving forward as they await further updates on the severity of the injury. Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa underwent successful surgery to repair a torn peroneus brevis tendon in his left ankle, per The Athletic. Correa is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Recovery from a torn peroneus brevis tendon generally takes 3-to-6 months for a return to normal activities, though full recovery after surgery can take up to 9-to-12 months. For Correa, that timeline makes his availability for the start of next season uncertain as he begins rehab. Correa appeared in 32 games for the Astros this season, batting .279 with three home runs, 16 RBIs, and a .787 OPS. May 10 Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will return from the injured list on Monday, manager Dave Roberts said. Betts sustained an oblique injury on April 4, and hasn’t played since. After a month out, he played three rehab games at the AAA level in Oklahoma City, and will return to the major league club on Monday. Betts, who was slashing .179/.281./.429 prior to his injury, was batting third in the Dodgers’ lineup, so it will be interesting to see where he slots back in when he returns. May 9 The Los Angeles Dodgers have acquired left-hander Charlie Barnes off waivers from the Chicago Cubs, the former announced. To make space on the 40-man roster, Los Angeles has transferred infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman to the 60-day injured list. Barnes only pitched for Chicago once this season, allowing four runs (three earned) in three innings of bulk relief on April 13. Barnes had been optioned twice by the Cubs this season, and was already playing in the minors when his 40-man roster spot was pulled. Now, Barnes heads west to add depth to the Dodgers’ pitching staff. While right-handed starter Tyler Glasnow continues to recover from a back injury, the return of Blake Snell is a welcome sighting for the Dodgers. However, Barnes gives Los Angeles the extra depth it needs in the meantime. The San Francisco Giants traded struggling two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, the teams announced. The Giants received minor-league left-hander Matt Wilkinson and the 29th pick in the 2026 amateur draft in the trade. Cleveland optioned catcher Bo Naylor to Triple-A Columbus to make room for Bailey. Naylor has been the Guardians’ regular catcher since 2023. Bailey has been regarded as one of the top defensive catchers in the game thanks in part to his elite pitch-framing skills since being called up in 2023. He leads the majors since 2023 with 69 catcher framing runs and 42 defensive runs saved over the past two-plus seasons. With that said, Bailey’s hitting has been an issue and bottomed out this season. Bailey was batting .146 with one homer and five RBIs in 89 plate appearances. His .396 OPS ranked last among 286 players with at least 75 plate appearances this season. Bailey had become expendable for the Giants with Daniel Susac Daniel Susac and Jesus Rodriguez expected to handle most of the catching duties, with Eric Haase as another option. Those players have provided much more offense for the Giants, who enter the day last in the majors in scoring with 3.16 runs per game and tied with the New York Mets for the worst record in the National League. Bailey, who turns 27 later this month, won Gold Gloves at catcher in 2024 and 2025. He is a career .224 hitter with a .611 OPS. May 8 The Los Angeles Dodgers are activating Blake Snell from the 15-day injured list, and he is set to make his season debut Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, the California Post reported. It also falls on the day of Snell’s bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium. Snell was originally scheduled for one more rehab outing, but the Dodgers decided to bring him back earlier than expected. The left-hander missed more than a month to begin the season due to left shoulder fatigue that had been bothering him since last year. In his latest rehab start, Snell allowed two runs over four innings while throwing 55 pitches, so he is expected to be on a limited pitch count Saturday. In 2025, Snell posted a 2.35 ERA with 72 strikeouts across 61.1 innings and played a major role in the Dodgers’ World Series run, recording three wins, a 3.18 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 34 postseason innings last fall. The Miami Marlins called up No. 2 pitching prospect, left-handed pitcher Robby Snelling, this week from Triple-A Jacksonville, and he will make his MLB debut on Friday night at home against the Washington Nationals. “It’s pretty surreal,” Snelling said in Miami’s clubhouse on Thursday before walking over to the dugout where fans yelled for his signature. “Still trying to just kind of soak it in and get acclimated with all the guys again that I was around in spring and really take it all in and not let the moment get too big.” The left-handed Snelling, selected 39th by the San Diego Padres in the 2022 amateur draft, was dealt to Miami in a 2024 package that sent left-hander Tanner Scott and righty Bryan Hoeing to San Diego. Snelling didn’t make the Marlins’ initial 40-man roster this year despite impressing coaches during spring training. He called that both frustrating and motivating. “I was upset and not necessarily at anybody in general,” Snelling said. “Just being told that you’re not going to get to do what you really had wanted to do as early as you wanted to do is a tough pill to swallow. But then you kind of come back down to earth and realize, ‘Alright, what do I need to do to get to that point where I want to be?’” Snelling worked on lowering his walks, in part by improving his first-pitch strike rate. In six starts with Triple-A Jacksonville this season, Snelling went 3-1 with the second-best ERA (1.86) among qualified pitchers. He walked more than three batters only twice in those six starts. A spot opened up in the Marlins’ starting rotation after struggling pitcher Chris Paddack was designated for assignment on Tuesday. May 7 The Seattle Mariners are battling for the top of the American League West, but reinforcements could soon be on the way. The rotation is expected to receive a major boost, with Bryce Miller saying he is set to rejoin the Mariners, per The Seattle Times. Miller has yet to debut this season after suffering a left oblique strain early in spring training, landing him on the 15-day injured list to open the year. He has made rehab starts at High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma as he works back to full readiness. Miller is coming off a difficult 2025 season with the Mariners, making 18 starts while posting a 5.68 ERA and 1.41 WHIP with 74 strikeouts over 90.1 innings pitched. The Los Angeles Dodgers may be sitting atop the National League West, but reinforcements are on the way. Mookie Betts is set to begin a rehab assignment Friday night and could rejoin the Dodgers as soon as Monday night, per The Athletic. The Dodgers’ Triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate announced that Betts will join the team for a rehab assignment on Friday and Saturday. He is expected to use the stint to get back into game rhythm and rebuild timing at the plate before returning to the major league roster. If Betts returns Monday against the Atlanta Braves, it would mark his first game since April 4, when he suffered an oblique injury against the Washington Nationals. After Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez was carted off during Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, New York is expected to recall Spencer Jones, per the New York Post. Domínguez was placed on the 10-day injured list with a low-grade AC joint sprain in his left shoulder and is expected to miss multiple weeks. In his absence, Jones is expected to join the Yankees’ active roster and see immediate playing time in the outfield. Jones, the Yankees’ No. 6 overall prospect, has been productive at Triple-A this season, hitting 11 home runs with 41 RBIs and posting a .958 OPS across 33 games. The Cincinnati Reds took another hit to their pitching staff on Thursday, as starter Rhett Lowder exited in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs with right shoulder discomfort, the team announced. Lowder pitched three innings, allowing three runs on one hit with four walks and one strikeout. His status is unclear as he joins a Reds pitching staff already dealing with injuries to Emilio Pagán, Brandon Williamson, Nick Lodolo and Caleb Ferguson. New York Yankees’ left fielder Jasson Domínguez left Thursday’s game against the Texas Rangers in a cart after crashing into the wall while catching Brandon Nimmo’s drive leading off the first inning. Domínguez, playing outfield for the Yankees for the second time this season, ran 81 feet to catch Nimmo’s 101 mph shot. He gloved the ball 375 feet from the plate as his left shoulder hit hard against the video advertising board. Domínguez’s sunglasses flew off as he fell to the warning track chest first, prompting center fielder Trent Grisham to come over as manager Aaron Boone jogged out to check on Domínguez along with head athletic trainer Tim Lentych, assistant athletic trainer Jimmy Downam and director of sports medicine and rehabilitation Michael Schuk. Domínguez cupped his head in his glove and sat up after about a minute. He pointed to his shoulder and craned his neck as he was being examined, then walked to a cart under his own power and was seated as the cart drove away. Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd had surgery Thursday to repair a partial meniscus tear that he suffered in his left knee while playing with his children. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said he expected Boyd to miss about six weeks. “It’s kind of the minor meniscus surgery, so we know he’s going to miss a month, six weeks,” Counsell said ahead of his team’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. “Probably closer to six weeks with getting it ramped back up. That’s what we’re hopeful for. Obviously, we’ll see how it all goes, and I think the important thing is how much time do we miss throwing? That’s probably the biggest thing right here. The knee is going to recover pretty quickly, but how much throwing down time do we have to take?” Boyd, 35, injured the knee on Wednesday. The left-hander joins starters Cade Horton, Justin Steele and Jordan Wicks on the injured list. Horton (elbow) is out for the season while Steele (elbow) is not expected back until the second half. May 6 Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans exited Wednesday night’s start against the Cleveland Guardians after three scoreless innings because of left triceps and elbow soreness, the team announced. Ragans was dominant before leaving, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out four batters. He threw just 58 pitches prior to exiting, though his command on the mound has faced criticism at times this season. The Royals have not yet provided a timeline for further evaluation or a potential return. He’s off to a rough 1-4 start with a 4.84 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP and 98 strikeouts across 61.2 innings pitched this year. Despite the struggles, Ragans has continued to show swing-and-miss stuff when healthy, remaining one of the Royals’ most important arms in the rotation. The Detroit Tigers placed second baseman Gleyber Torres on the 10-day injured list Wednesday afternoon with a left oblique strain. Torres suffered the injury on Saturday during the Tigers 5-1 win over the Texas Rangers. Torres was injured while trying to score from second base on a single from Riley Greene. He was thrown out at the plate and exited the game after just three innings for the Tigers. This is not the first time Torres has dealt with an oblique injury. He missed 10 games last season because of a similar issue. Oblique injuries can often linger for hitters because of the strain placed on the core during swings and throwing motions. Even if the absence is short, the Tigers are expected to feel the loss of Torres in the lineup. He has been one of Detroit’s more productive hitters this season, batting .259 with two home runs, 11 RBIs, 25 walks and a .716 OPS. The injuries continue to pile up for the Chicago Cubs, who have now lost another arm from their rotation. Matthew Boyd is set to undergo meniscus surgery and will be out for the foreseeable future, per ESPN. Boyd suffered the injury on Wednesday morning while sitting down to play with his kids. The Cubs will not have a clear timeline for his recovery until after the procedure. He joins a growing list of injured Cubs pitchers. Cade Horton recently underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, while Justin Steele continues to recover from his own procedure last season. Boyd was coming off a career year but struggled early this season. In five starts, he posted a 6.00 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP with 31 strikeouts across 24 innings. Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow left Wednesday’s game against the Houston Astros before the second inning because of low back pain. Glasnow allowed a home run to leadoff hitter Brice Matthews before retiring the next three batters with two strikeouts to end the first. He returned to the mound to warm up before the second inning but appeared to be in discomfort after throwing a pitch and signaled to the dugout. Several Dodgers staff members, including manager Dave Roberts, came onto the field to talk to him, and Glasnow walked off the field with them after a couple of minutes. He was replaced by Jack Dreyer. Glasnow’s strikeout of Yordan Alvarez in the first inning was the 1,000th of his MLB career. A 32-year-old right-hander, Glasnow was limited to 18 regular-season starts last year by right shoulder inflammation that sidelined him from April 27-July 9. Houston’s Carlos Correa has a torn tendon in his left ankle that will require season-ending surgery, the star infielder said Wednesday. Correa was injured Tuesday while taking swings in the batting cage before a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. “I was hitting in the cage, normal day, feeling great,” he said. “I went through my whole routine, took a swing and just felt a pop. It just completely snapped on me and then I fell to the ground and couldn’t put weight on it.” Correa was on crutches and in a walking boot Wednesday morning at the ballpark after seeing a foot specialist. He said he would seek some other opinions before scheduling the surgery. Correa, 31, said the injury was a “complete tear” and his recovery is expected to take six to eight months. It’s yet another blow to an Astros team that has dealt with scores of injuries this season, including an oblique injury to Yainer Diaz that landed the catcher on the injured list Tuesday. Correa, who is back with the Astros after last summer’s blockbuster trade from the Twins, played third base for Houston last season with Jeremy Pena at shortstop. But Correa has been playing shortstop recently with Peña out with a hamstring injury. Correa is batting .279 with three home runs and 16 RBIs. May 5 The Boxton Red Sox may have avoided a major problem as outfielder Roman Anthony is reportedly day-to-day with a wrist injury, per Chris Cotillo. Anthony injured his wrist, while hitting a foul ball on Monday, and exited the game. After Tuesday’s report, he may not miss a long period of time. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh returned to the lineup on Tuesday. Raleigh had missed three games with right side soreness, but the injury was minor, and the slugger is now active again. He’s slashing .186/.272/.380 with seven home runs through 33 games. The Tampa Bay Rays placed left-handed pitcher Steven Matz on the 15-day injured list with left elbow inflammation, per Ryan Bass. Over his first seven starts this season, Matz has a 4-1 record with a 3.86 ERA and 28 strikeouts. May 4 With the Philadelphia Phillies off to a rocky start, trade speculation has begun as the club looks for ways to rebound from a 14–20 record. One name that has surfaced as a potential target is Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal discussed the possibility during an appearance with Kevin Burkhardt on MLB on FOX on Monday afternoon, but he remains unsure whether a trade for Trout is realistic at this time. “I still don’t see it,” Rosenthal said. “Keep in mind, Trout has never expressed any desire to move on from the Los Angeles Angels. He’s had opportunities to say, ‘hey, I’d like to get going somewhere else,’ but he hasn’t done that.” That lack of urgency to leave has reinforced the Angels’ position as they continue to build around Trout, who has not shown any real interest in leaving the organization over the years. “He has a full no-trade clause, so he has control over his situation,” Rosenthal said. “Also, his trade value right now is not necessarily what you might think it is, even though he’s off to a great start.” Beyond the financial hurdles, there’s the simple reality that he seems genuinely content in Anaheim, regardless of the outside noise. “While it’s always fun to imagine going back to his roots,” Rosenthal said. “I just don’t see it happening.” Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony exited Monday’s game against the Detroit Tigers with a wrist injury, per Ian Browne. In the top of the first inning, Anthony fouled off a pitch and stepped out of the batter’s box grimacing. He ultimately left the game. Anthony’s first full MLB season was off to a slow start as he was slashing .231/.357/.324 with one home run through 29 games. After opting out of his minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, veteran reliever Lou Trivino signed a major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Monday afternoon, per The Athletic. Travino, 34, is set to join his sixth team in the league after spending last season with the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Phillies. He put together 47.2 innings pitched out of the bullpen with a 3.97 ERA. Since returning in 2025 after missing two seasons due to Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, he has reestablished himself as a bullpen option across multiple teams. The Orioles signed him to a major league deal for additional bullpen depth. Baltimore has been hit hard by injuries, with several relievers, including Ryan Helsley, Yaramil Hiraldo, Keegan Akin, Andrew Kittredge and Félix Bautista, currently sidelined or dealing with health issues. By adding Trivino, the Orioles gained a durable arm to help mitigate the workload of a strained pitching staff. May 3 Ronald Acuña will be out for a little, but he and the Atlanta Braves are fortunate that he won’t be sidelined for a longer period of time. Acuña was placed on the 10-day injured list after an MRI found he suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain. “All things considered, it could have been a lot worse,” Walt Weiss told reporters on Sunday. Acuña left Saturday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning. He was attempting to run out a ground ball before he pulled up about halfway down the base path and grabbed at his hamstring. The five-time All-Star and 2023 National League MVP is batting .252 with two home runs, nine RBIs, 17 runs and a team-high seven steals. He had played in all 34 games after a torn ACL he suffered in May 2024 limited him to a combined 144 games over the past two seasons. The Braves activated right-hander Spencer Strider from the injured list prior to Sunday’s start. The 2023 All-Star was set to make his season debut after being sidelined with a strained oblique. The Braves optioned right-hander Hunter Stratton to Triple-A Gwinnett following Saturday’s game to make room for him. They also selected outfielder José Azócar’s contract from the minor league club on Sunday with Acuña going on the injured list. May 2 The New York Mets signed catcher Luis Torrens to a two-year, $11.5 million extension, according to The Athletic. Torrens, who’s in his third season with the Mets, has driven in four runs over 13 appearances this season, owning a .200/.200/.267 slash line. Behind the plate, he has posted three defensive runs saved this season (11 appearances, eight of them being starts) and posted 11 defensive runs saved in 2025 (86 appearances, 72 of them being starts). May 1 Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff has gone on the injured list one day after a reduction in his velocity caused him to leave a game in the second inning. The Brewers announced Friday that the two-time All-Star was going on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. The Brewers recalled right-hander Easton McGee from Triple-A Nashville before beginning a three-game series with the Washington Nationals. None of the 21 pitches Woodruff threw exceeded 86.9 mph in the Brewers’ 13-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Woodruff’s average fastball velocity in that game was 85.4 mph, well below his season average of 92.5. Woodruff had a 1-0 count on Nolan Arenado in the second inning when Brewers coaches and athletic training staff went to check on him. Woodruff left the game at that point. “He doesn’t feel like he’s injured,” Murphy said after Thursday’s game. “He said, ‘My arm’s dead. Nothing’s coming out.’ I think we just have to be really cautious here.” This represents the latest injury-related setback for the 33-year-old right-hander, whose fastball averaged about 96 mph as recently as 2023. Woodruff had a lat strain that prevented him from pitching in the postseason during Milwaukee’s run to the NL Championship Series last year. That injury didn’t prevent him from starting this season on time. He underwent shoulder surgery after the 2023 season and didn’t pitch at all in 2024, but he returned midway through last season and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts. Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner left Friday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks because of neck tightness. Hoerner hit a leadoff double and scored on Michael Busch’s two-run single in the first inning. Matt Shaw batted for Hoerner in the second and remained in the game at second base. The Cubs said Hoerner’s neck tightness was on his left side. Hoerner has been one of the majors’ best players so far this season. The two-time Gold Glove Award winner is batting .297 with four homers, 26 RBIs and seven steals in 32 games. Hoerner, who turns 29 on May 13, agreed to a $141 million, six-year contract in March. He was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft. April 30 The Arizona Diamondbacks activated their Gold Glove catcher from the 10-day injured list. Moreno had been sidelined by a strained left oblique. He was in the starting lineup for the opener of a weekend series at the Chicago Cubs. “Having Gabby healthy and in this lineup means we’re a different team,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s the quality of at-bat, it’s how he controls the running game defensively, how he runs the game behind the plate. So nothing against the other catchers, he’s just very dynamic, has a lot of tools.” The 26-year-old Moreno is batting .275 with five RBIs in 13 games this season. He got hurt in an April 10 matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies. The depleted New York Mets took another hit Thursday when center fielder Luis Robert Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with lumbar spine disc herniation. Robert, 28, hasn’t played since the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies due to what the team said was lower back tightness. An MRI administered on Wednesday revealed the injury. The IL move was retroactive to April 27. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Robert had an epidural and was instructed to rest for seven to 10 days. He said team doctors were hopeful Robert could return shortly thereafter. “It’s just frustrating from both ends — for Luis, for us,” Mendoza said before the series finale against the Washington Nationals. “But we’ve got to get him back right.” The IL stint is the 10th since 2021 for Robert, who has previously been sidelined by right hip, right knee, left wrist and left hamstring issues as well as blurred vision. He has played more than 110 games just once — in 2023, when he finished 12th in the AL MVP voting after hitting 38 homers for the Chicago White Sox. The Mets acquired Robert from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Luisangel Acuna in January in hopes the former Gold Glove Award winner could help improve their up-the-middle defense. He was limited to back-field duty for most of spring training in an attempt to keep him healthy for the regular season. Robert had a homer and five RBIs in the first two games of the season but has just five hits in his last 38 at-bats dating back to April 13 to drop his season average to .224. Shortstop Francisco Lindor (left calf) and first baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco (left Achilles, right wrist) are also on the injured list for the Mets, who began Thursday with baseball’s worst record at 10-20. The Cincinnati Reds placed left-handed starter Brandon Williamson on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue after undergoing an MRI on Thursday morning. “Structurally it came back good,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “He will go on a shoulder program (for) range of motion, strength, all that stuff.” Williamson, 28, was pulled after three innings in Wednesday’s 13-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies after allowing four runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out four. He is 2-3 with a 6.11 ERA in six starts after missing all of last season following left elbow surgery in September 2024. Williamson made the club out of spring training when fellow left-hander Nick Lodolo landed on the IL with a blister on his left index finger. A setback for Williamson was not unexpected. “When he made the club, because he pitched so well in the spring, we were all concerned that, OK, it’s going to be every five or six days, there’s going to be some hiccups,” Francona said. The Reds (19-11) are off to their best 30-game start since 2006 despite being without starters Hunter Greene and Lodolo, and with Andrew Abbott struggling with a 6.59 ERA in six starts. April 29 Garrett Crochet to injured list The Boston Red Sox put the star left-hander on the 15-day injured list because of left shoulder inflammation and recalled utilityman Nate Eaton from Triple-A Worcester. Last year’s AL Cy Young Award runner-up, when he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA, Crochet has a 6.30 ERA through six starts in 2026. Crochet (3-3) struck out seven over six shutout innings in Saturday’s 17-1 win at the Baltimore Orioles, looking every bit like the ace Boston traded for in December 2024 and signed to a $170 million, six-year contract in March 2025. The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches following Saturday’s game. Crochet’s win over the Orioles came two starts after the ugliest outing of his Red Sox career — an 11-run debacle over 1 2/3 innings at the Minnesota Twins on April 13. Crochet has been an All-Star in each of the past two seasons. New York Yankees call up blue-chip pitching prospect Veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk was designated for assignment Wednesday by the Yankees, clearing a spot on their roster to activate right-hander Elmer Rodriguez for his major-league debut. Rodriguez, one of the Yankees’ top prospects, was set to start Wednesday, when AL-best New York looked to complete a three-game series sweep at the Texas Rangers. The 34-year-old Grichuk, who was with his seventh team over 13 big-league seasons, was hitting .194 with no homers and two RBIs in 16 games. He agreed to a minor-league contract with the Yankees in late February that included an invitation to spring training, and he broke camp with the team. Switch-hitting outfielder Jasson Dominguez was called up by the Yankees on Monday, when Giancarlo Stanton missed his third consecutive game with a strained right calf before being placed on the 10-day injured list. The 22-year-old Rodriguez, who pitched for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic last month, is taking Luis Gil’s spot in the starting rotation after the right-hander was sent to Triple-A following a rough start in a 7-4 loss to the Houston Astros on Sunday. Kikuchi exits start against White Sox early Los Angeles Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi left Wednesday’s game against the White Sox in Chicago after two innings with left shoulder tightness. The two-time All-Star left-hander was replaced by lefty Mitch Farris, who had been called up from Triple-A Salt Lake before the game after Joey Lucchesi was designated for assignment. Kikuchi allowed no runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout before exiting. The 34-year-old from Japan, an All-Star last season with Los Angeles, entered Wednesday at 0-3 with a 6.21 ERA in 29 innings in six games, all starts. Kukuchi is in his eighth major league season and pitched for Seattle, Toronto and Houston before signing as a free agent with the Angels in November 2024. He has career mark of 48-61 with a 4.51 ERA. Los Angeles entered Wednesday having lost five straight and nine of 10. Angels recall Mitch Farris, DFA Lucchesi The Los Angeles Angels recalled left-hander Mitch Farris from Triple-A Salt Lake and designated lefty Joey Lucchesi for assignment on Wednesday before their game in Chicago against the White Sox. The 25-year-old Farris returns to the Angels for a second stint this season. He was 0-0 with a 2.08 ERA over 4 1/3 innings in three games earlier this month. Farris was 1-3 with a 6.66 ERA in five appearances, all starts, with Los Angeles in 2025. The Atlanta Braves traded him to the Angels in December 2024. Lucchesi, in his eighth major league season, was 0-1 with 13.50 ERA in 3 1/3 innings over five games with the Angels in 2026 after signing with them as a free agent on April. 9. He previously pitched for the Padres, Mets and Giants, and is 23-28 with a 4.15 ERA in 124 games, including 77 starts, for his career. The 6-foot-5, 32-year-old Lucchesi’s best season was his second in the majors in 2019 with San Diego, when he was 10-10 with a 4.18 ERA while making 30 starts. April 28 Jackson Chourio to begin rehab assignment Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Jackson Chourio will begin a rehab assignment this week with the intention of returning to the big leagues by Monday, May 4, the team announced. The 22-year-old sustained a fracture in his left hand while representing Venezuela during the World Baseball Classic before the season. He played through pain at first, before being sidelined. After nearly a two-month recovery, he will make his 2026 season debut next week. Spencer Strider to return to Braves’ rotation Atlanta Braves RHP Spencer Strider will officially make his 2026 season debut this weekend against the Colorado Rockies. Strider was placed on the 15-day injured list with an oblique injury prior to the season. After a month-long absence, he made three rehab starts, and now will return to the big-league squad. Despite injuries to Strider and fellow starting pitcher, Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves have been one of the best teams in baseball to start the season. Ohtani to pitch without DH duties on Tuesday Night Shohei Ohtani is set to make his fifth start on the mound this season on Tuesday night against the Miami Marlins, but he is not expected to be in the lineup. It marks the second time this season that manager Dave Roberts has kept Ohtani out of the lineup while he pitches, and just the second time that this has occurred at all. He will also take the mound on five days’ rest, the first time this season he has worked on fewer than six days between starts. The decision is part of the Dodgers’ ongoing effort to manage his workload as both a pitcher and designated hitter early in the season. Without Ohtani in the lineup, the Dodgers will be without one of their most productive hitters. He is batting .278 with six home runs, 13 RBIs and a .898 OPS, providing steady middle-of-the-order production even in a down – for him – season so far. However, the Dodgers have bench options to fill in like catcher, DH and first baseman Dalton Rushing, who has hit seven home runs in 13 games in 2026. On the mound, Ohtani’s has been shown dominance. The righty has a 0.38 ERA through his first four starts, going 2-0 while allowing just one earned run across 24 innings. Padres say Manny Machado’s leg injury exit was precautionary The San Diego Padres are off to a strong start this season, but they had a brief concern Monday night against the Chicago Cubs when third baseman Manny Machado exited the game with a leg injury. Machado grounded out to end the previous inning before being tended to by trainers in the dugout and eventually removed from the contest. Ty France shifted from first to third base, while Gavin Sheets entered the game at first. Manager Craig Stammen later told reporters after the game that Machado’s removal was for precautionary reasons. “He’s fine,” Stammen said. “We took him out as a precaution. It looked like he was running down the line a little slow. Came out of the box awkwardly. He had a couple of slides to second that weren’t great on his lower half, so we’ll talk to him tomorrow and see how he’s feeling and evaluate him going forward.” Machado has been a steady presence in the lineup this season, hitting .232 with four home runs and 16 RBIs. Even with the early exit, the Padres remain confident that his status is day-to-day as they continue their strong start. For now, the Padres will hope the scare amounts to nothing more than a short-term pause for one of their key bats in the lineup. April 27 Giancarlo Stanton to injured list The New York Yankees slugger will go on the injured list with a low-grade strain of his right calf. Stanton exited Friday’s series opener at the Houston Astros after experiencing calf stiffness while running the bases and missed the following three games, including Monday’s series-opening 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers. Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed the results of an MRI after the game. “It doesn’t look too serious, but enough to not want to wait a couple of more days,” Boone said. Asked if Stanton could return as soon as he’s eligible to come off the 10-day IL, Boone said that’s possible, but he didn’t want to put a timetable on it. The Yankees recalled outfielder Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before Monday’s game, and the switch-hitter went 1 for 4 with a strikeout as the designated hitter in his 2026 big-league debut. New York had an open spot on its 26-man roster after right-hander Luis Gil dropped to 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA in four starts and was optioned to Triple-A after Sunday’s loss to the Astros. Stanton, a five-time All-Star, is hitting .256 this season with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games this season. He has been plagued by injuries and hasn’t played a full season since 2018, his first with the Yankees. Stanton has been out of the lineup due to injuries to his elbows (2025), left hamstring (2020, 2023 and 2024), left quadriceps (2021), and right ankle and left Achilles (2022). Toronto puts Scherzer on IL with forearm, ankle injuries Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer was put on the 15-day injured list by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday because of right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. A 41-year-old right-hander, Scherzer is 1-3 with a 9.64 ERA in five starts. Toronto made the IL move retroactive to Saturday and recalled right-hander Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo. Scherzer, who started Game 7 of last year’s World Series, remained with the Blue Jays by agreeing to a $3 million, one-year contract that allows him to earn $10 million in performance bonuses for innings starting with 65. He allowed seven runs and six hits, including three home runs, in 2 1/3 innings during an 8-6 loss to Cleveland on Friday. It was the third time this season Scherzer failed to complete three innings. He left an April 6 start against the Los Angeles Dodgers because of forearm pain, then allowed eight runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings in an April 12 defeat to Minnesota. An eight-time All-Star, Scherzer went 5-5 with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts and 85 innings for the Blue Jays last season. He made three starts in the postseason, beating Seattle 8-2 in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series and making two starts in the World Series against the Dodgers. Scherzer won titles with Washington in 2019 and Texas in 2023. He ranks 11th on the strikeouts list with 3,499, 10 behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. Braves shuffle rotation in anticipation of Strider’s return Right-hander Reynaldo López, who opened the season as Atlanta’s No. 2 starter, is moving to the bullpen as Braves manager Walt Weiss shuffles his rotation for a series against Detroit. More changes could be coming, with right-hander Spencer Strider possibly making his season debut in this weekend’s series at Colorado after opening the season on the injured list because of a strained oblique. Left-hander Martin Perez (1-1, 2.70 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday night’s series opener against Detroit. Rookie JR Ritchie, who won in his major league debut on Thursday at Washington, is scheduled to start Wednesday. Right-hander Bryce Elder (3-1, 1.95) is set for Thursday’s start. Weiss said he expects López (1-1, 3.74) to return to the rotation after he works out some mechanical flaws in his delivery. Weiss said López is a reliever “for now.” “We see him as a starter,” the skipper said. ‘He’s working through some things, delivery-wise, that type of thing, and he’s getting right there. And when he’s right, he’s one of our best starters. He was our No. 2 coming out of camp, even with some of the issues at the end of spring training. “So we see him as a starter long term, but right now, trying to iron some things out. He’s going to help us out of the ‘pen in the short term.” Right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach, who was expected to be one of the team’s top starters, and Hurston Waldrep, who was a candidate for the rotation, could return in June following elbow surgeries. April 25 Nathan Lukes lands on IL The Toronto Blue Jays put the outfielder on the 10-day injured list Saturday because of a strained left hamstring and selected outfielder Yohendrick Piñango from Triple-A Buffalo. Lukes exited Friday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians in the bottom of the first inning. He led off with a double but walked off following a brief discussion with the trainer and manager John Schneider. Lukes’ double was his 11th hit in 21 at-bats. He previously had been struggling with dizziness and vision problems caused by vertigo. Lukes started the season 2-for-31 and was hitless in 23 at-bats in April before his recent surge. Lukes becomes the 12th player on Toronto’s injured list, a group that also includes designated hitter George Springer (fractured left big toe), outfielder Addison Barger (sprained left ankle), catcher Alejandro Kirk (fractured left thumb) and outfielder Anthony Santander (left shoulder). Piñango hit .288 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 22 games at Buffalo this season. He has yet to play in the majors. To make room for Piñango on the 40-man roster, Toronto moved right-hander Yimi Garcia (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. April 24 Jeff Hoffman out of closer role The Toronto Blue Jays are moving Hoffman out of the closer’s role, general manager Ross Atkins said before Friday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. “In the short term, we are going to share that responsibility,” Atkins said. Hoffman is 1-2 with three saves in six chances and a 7.59 ERA in 12 games this season, his second with Toronto. The right-hander came on for the save in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. He struck out Zach Neto to begin the inning, but the next four batters reached safely, with two of them hit by pitches. Louis Varland replaced Hoffman and got Nolan Schanuel to ground into a game-ending double play. Varland and sidearming right-hander Tyler Rogers are among the candidates to close games for the Blue Jays. Hoffman signed a $33 million, three-year contract with Toronto in January 2025. He was a first-time All-Star with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024. April 23 Mets receive negative news on Francisco Lindor Hours after shortstop Francisco Lindor was placed on the 10-day injured list with a calf strain, New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza offered another update, saying Lindor will be out “quite a bit.” His stint on the injured list will likely last longer than the 10-day minimum. It puts a damper on an exciting Wednesday night for New York, who had got Juan Soto back from injury and broke its 12-game losing streak. The Mets called up Ronny Muricio to increase their depth in the middle of the infield. Phillies release RHP Walker in last year of deal The slumping Philadelphia Phillies released veteran right-hander Taijuan Walker before Thursday’s game against the Chicago Cubs and recalled righty Nolan Hoffman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Walker, in his 14th major league season, exited the Phillies clubhouse a couple of hours before Thursday’s contest. He’s in the final year of a four-year, $72 million contract. The 33-year-old Walker was an All-Star with the New York Mets in 2021 and peaked with a 15-6 record and 4.38 ERA with Philadelphia in 2023. But he’s slid ever since, starting 2026 at 1-4 with a 9.13 ERA in five games, and has a combined 9-19 record with a 5.67 ERA over the past three seasons. Walker gave up five runs (four earned) on eight hits in four innings in starting and taking the loss at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. With ace Zack Wheeler set to return on Saturday, Walker was bumped out of the Phillies rotation. Dave Dombrowski, the Phillies’ president of baseball operations, said the team tried to trade Walker’s contract “various times,” but found no takers. “We know and he knows that he gave every effort that he possibly could to try to get people out and it just wasn’t working,” Dombrowski added. “Maybe a change of scenery will help him.’ “He’s one of the best teammates and one of the best people I’ve been around,’ manager Rob Thomson said. “This guy’s a pro, performance aside. April 22 Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson safe for now Dave Dombrowski says he’s looking at “everything that’s taking place” with Philadelphia’s poor start to the season, and he has no immediate concerns about Rob Thomson being the manager to get the Phillies back to the World Series. Speaking to reporters ahead of a 7-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night — Philadelphia’s seventh loss in a row — the Phillies’ president of baseball operations stood behind Thomson’s work and said he’s been a good manager since replacing Joe Girardi in 2022. “Generally, I’ve said about 40 games of the season is when you start to say, ‘OK, where are we shaping up? Guys have had enough time,’” Dombrowski said. “But there’s no magic in that number. Sometimes it’s a little bit more, sometimes it’s a little bit less. They’re not happy with their performances. “I’m responsible for putting the club on the field, so I’m not happy with the way it’s going.” The Phillies were 8-15 entering Wednesday night’s game against the Cubs, the second-worst record in the National League behind the New York Mets. Philadelphia has lost eight of its last 10 games. “We just haven’t played very well,” Dombrowski said, adding that some individual players have played fine, but “as a group, I don’t think any part of our team has excelled.” Lucas Giolito signs The 31-year-old starting pitcher has signed a one-year deal with the San Diego Padres, the team announced. Giolito’s contract includes a mutual option for 2027. Giolito, a 2019 All-Star, spent the 2025 season with the Boston Red Sox, posting a 3.41 ERA, a 1.29 WHIP, 2.1 wins above replacement and a 118 ERA+ over 26 regular-season starts. The Padres, who are tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the best record in MLB at 16-7, are 11th in MLB with a 3.53 ERA starting rotation ERA. Giolito has also played parts of nine seasons in the majors for Washington, the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland, going 71-66, with a 4.30 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has been durable and dependable for most of his career while earning an All-Star selection in 2019 and throwing a no-hitter in 2020. Despite missing a season because of injury, he ranks in the top five among AL pitchers from 2018-25 in innings pitched (1,092), strikeouts (1,153), wins (68) and complete games (5). But Giolito remained on the free agent market nearly one month into the regular season before landing with the Padres, who are pitching superbly this season despite major upheaval and injury problems in their rotation. Opening day starter Nick Pivetta went on the injured list last week with a right elbow flexor strain that could keep him out for months, while Joe Musgrove has yet to make his season debut after a slower-than-expected return from Tommy John surgery. Yu Darvish already is out for the season with an elbow injury, and Dylan Cease left last fall for a $210 million free-agent deal with Toronto. Giolito will slot immediately into a rotation that currently includes Michael King, Randy Vasquez, German Marquez and former Dodgers star Walker Buehler. April 21 Adley Rutschman activated The Baltimore Orioles reinstated their star catcher from the injured list before their Tuesday night road game against the Kansas City Royals. Rutschman hasn’t played since April 10 because of left ankle inflammation. He hit .294 with six doubles in his first 10 games of the season. The Orioles designated catcher Sam Huff for assignment. Rutschman, a two-time All-Star, is coming off his worst season at the plate. He hit .220 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs last year and played only 90 games. Red Sox place Gray on IL The Boston Red Sox placed right-hander Sonny Gray on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday with a right hamstring strain and recalled lefty Tyler Samaniego from Triple-A Worcester to replace him on the roster. Gray lasted just 2 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, giving up one run on three hits before experiencing discomfort in his right leg. He said after the game he had similar problems in 2022 and ’24. “I kind of knew what it was,” he said. “It just happens every now and then. It’s just something that I’m always having to monitor since the first time it happened.” Gray, 36, is 2-1 with a 4.30 ERA in five starts this season. He is 127-103 with a 3.59 ERA in a 14-year career with six teams. Samaniego, 27, made his major league debut on April 8 against the Milwaukee Brewers and appeared in three games for the Red Sox, throwing 3 2/3 hitless, scoreless innings. He is 10-8 with a 3.89 ERA over six minor league seasons. April 20 Dodgers’ Díaz set to undergo right elbow surgery, three-month absence expected The Los Angeles Dodgers are off to a strong start to the season at 15-6, but they are set to lose one of their biggest offseason additions. All-Star reliever Edwin Díaz will undergo right elbow surgery that is expected to sideline him for around three months, according to ESPN. The procedure will be to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. After signing a three-year, $69 million deal this offseason, Díaz seemingly struggled to find his footing in just six innings out of the bullpen this season. He recorded just four saves and 10 strikeouts while posting a 10.50 ERA prior to the injury. April 16 Gerrit Cole beginning rehab assignment The New York Yankees’ superstar right-hander, who won the 2023 American League Cy Young Award, will make a rehab start for the team’s Double-A affiliate on Apr. 17, manager Aaron Boone announced on Apr. 15. Cole, who’s recovering from Tommy John surgery, hasn’t pitched in an MLB game — excluding spring training — since the 2024 World Series due to the aforementioned elbow injury. New York’s starting rotation entered Apr. 16 fourth in MLB in ERA (3.12) and WHIP (1.04), tied for fifth in strikeouts (105) and tied for seventh in opponent batting average (.214). The Yankees, who are in second place in the AL East at 10-8, are also without left-hander Carlos Rodon (elbow and hamstring) and right-hander Clarke Schmidt (elbow). Cole, a six-time All-Star, will turn 36 in September. April 15 Kevin McGonigle inks huge deal The Tigers announced Wednesday they have agreed to an eight-year, $150 million contract extension with rookie infield McGonigle. The 21-year-old made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster and is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline. The deal begins next season and carries through 2034, covering his final five seasons of club control and his first three years that he would have been eligible for free agency. The $150 million is guaranteed and the deal includes contract escalators for the final three seasons that could raise the value to a maximum of $160 million. McGonigle will earn guaranteed salaries of $1 million in 2027, $7 million in 2028, $16 million in 2029, $21 million in 2030, $22 million in 2031 and $23 million in the 2032, 2033 and 2034 seasons. The contract escalators could increase his 2032 maximum base salary to $25 million, his 2033 maximum to $26 million and his 2034 maximum to $28 million. The deal includes a $14 million signing bonus and a $5 million bonus each time the contract is assigned to another major league team. Through 17 games, McGonigle has totaled one home run and eight RBIs, while boasting a .311/.417/.492 slash line. He has made nine starts at third base and seven at shortstop. Last season (2025), across three levels of minor-league ball (A, A+ and Double-A), McGonigle totaled 19 home runs and 80 RBIs across 88 games, while recording a combined .305/.408/.583 slash line. McGonigle never appeared in Triple-A ball. April 14 Giolito drawing interest from Cubs, Padres Former All-Star starting pitcher Lucas Giolito remains a free agent midway through April, but multiple teams – like the Cubs, Padres and others – are eyeing him as an addition to their staff, per The Athletic. The Cubs have two rotation members on the IL already, in Matthew Boyd and Cade Horton, and while Boyd should return from his strained biceps soon, Horton’s season might be over thanks to potential elbow surgery. The Padres, meanwhile, removed Nick Pivetta from Sunday’s start against the Rockies with right elbow stiffness, which will likely result in, at least, a stint on the IL. Giolito missed the 2024 season recovering from a partial Tommy John surgery with an internal brace procedure, but returned in 2025 to produce a 3.41 ERA across 26 starts with the Red Sox. The veteran right-hander struggled early, but as he shook off the rust posted a 2.51 over his last 19 starts and 111.1 innings, with 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings. He rejected a $19 million option for 2026 with Boston, making him a free agent, but has been unable to secure a deal since. White Sox prospect Schultz to debut Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Noah Schultz is scheduled to make his major league debut in a start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night following his recall from Triple-A Charlotte. Schultz, a 6-foot-10, 22-year-old left-hander, was 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three games and 14 innings in with Charlotte. He permitted only six baserunners while striking out 19 of 47 batters. Schultz is rated by Baseball America as the No. 1 prospect in the White Sox organization and No. 21 overall. The White Sox selected Schultz in the first round, 26th overall, in the 2022 MLB Draft. The Chicago-area native is a graduate of Oswego (Illinois) East High School, about 40 miles west of Rate Field. At 22 years and 252 days old, Schultz will be the youngest starting pitcher to debut with the White Sox since Michael Kopech (22 years, 113 days) on Aug. 21, 2018, against Minnesota. The White Sox also brought back outfielder Everson Pereira from a rehab assignment at Charlotte on Tuesday and reinstated him from the 10-day injured list. Chicago placed right-hander Jonathan Cannon on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 13) with right hip inflammation. Pereira, 24, went on the injured list on April 5 (retroactive to April 3) with a left ankle sprain. He’s batting .250 with a home run, RBI and three runs scored in five games. Pereira was acquired from Tampa Bay on Nov. 18, 2025. Christian Yelich to IL The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly placed Yelich on the 10-day injured list with a left groin strain. Yelich was removed from Milwaukee’s Sunday afternoon matchup against the Washington Nationals due to the aforementioned injury. Through 15 games this season, Yelich has totaled one home run, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases, while owning a .314/.375/.451 slash line as Milwaukee’s primary designated hitter. Last season, the three-time Silver Slugger totaled 29 home runs and 103 RBIs. April 13 Astros place Pena, Imai on IL The Astros placed All-Star shortstop Jeremy Pena on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain and rookie right-hander Tatsuya Imai on the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue Monday. The pair of moves were the latest blows to last-place Houston’s roster, which has endured an abundance of injuries early in the season. “We’ll get through this,” manager Joe Espada said. “But, I’m doing well. I just don’t like when our players are injured. They work really hard in the offseason to come back in shape, and expectations are for us to go out there and perform and get back to the postseason, and this makes it tough to have our guys getting banged up. But, we’ll fight through this.” Espada said he hopes it’s not a long IL stint for Peña, and that Imai will undergo more testing after returning to Houston. In corresponding moves, the Astros recalled right-hander J.P. France, left-hander Colton Gordon and infielder Shay Whitcomb from Triple-A Sugar Land. Right-hander Jayden Murray was optioned to Sugar Land after pitching two innings and allowing two earned runs in Sunday’s game. Yankees return Winquest to Cardinals Cade Winquest’s New York Yankees career ended without him throwing a pitch that counted. New York returned the 25-year-old right-hander to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, three days after he was designated for assignment. Winquest was selected from St. Louis during the Rule 5 draft at December’s winter meetings and became the Yankees’ first Rule 5 player to make the opening day roster since infielder Josh Phelps in 2007. He didn’t get into any regular-season games. St. Louis paid $50,000 for Winquest after the Yankees paid $100,000 to select him at the draft. He went 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA over nine spring training appearances. An eighth-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2022 amateur draft out of the University of Texas at Arlington, he was in the St. Louis farm system from 2023-25. April 12 Blue Jays OF George Springer heads to IL The Toronto Blue Jays will be without outfielder George Springer for an extended period of time after he suffered a big toe fracture. He sustained the injury on Saturday afternoon in the third inning of a 7-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. Manager John Schneider said after the game that Springer underwent X-rays at the stadium and is also scheduled for a CT scan. Springer will head to the 10-day injured list. “It will look a little bit different if George is not in there, obviously,” Schneider told reporters after the game. “We’ll kind of figure it out day by day if he’s not there.” The injury adds to an already difficult stretch for Toronto on the health front. The team is dealing with multiple starters missing time, including outfielder Anthony Santander, infielder Addison Barger and catcher Alejandro Kirk. Springer has also struggled at the plate early this season. He’s putting together a .185 batting average with two home runs and six RBIs across 14 games and 54 plate appearances. With one of the team’s most experienced players sidelined, Toronto will need to adjust its lineup as it looks to find more consistency early in the season. White Sox call up one of their top prospects The Chicago White Sox have spent the past few seasons retooling their farm system and now one of the organization’s top young arms is finally getting the call to the big leagues. Left-hander Noah Schultz is expected to be promoted to the majors. He is the No. 2 prospect in the organization and No. 46 overall in baseball, according to MLB.com and is set to make his debut Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. Schultz was a first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Oswego East High School and has moved quickly through the system, looking sharp to open the season. At Triple-A, he’s posted a 1.29 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 14 innings. Schultz works from a low arm slot that creates a tough angle for hitters, and it all ties into a slider that has become his best weapon. The pitch sits in the low 80s and sweeps across the zone, playing well against both righties and lefties. His fastball has also shown upper-90s velocity at times. Manager Will Venables is expected to ease him into the rotation, likely as the White Sox’s fifth starter, but the long-term upside is what stands out. Schultz will be in a group that includes Sean Burke, Anthony Kay, Davis Martin, and Erik Fedde. “I’m very excited about Noah,” Venables told the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s about as nice a guy and polite a guy as can be, but he does have an edge when he goes out there and pitches, which you love to see.” Since being drafted, Schultz has logged a 2.94 ERA with 248 strikeouts over 202.1 innings in the minors. He has been able to steadily climb each level along the way and establish himself as one of the most intriguing young arms in the minors. April 11 Mets activate Craig Kimbrel The Mets have called up the reliever and nine-time All-Star, per the New York Post. The Mets signed the 37-year-old to a minor-league deal in January. He made six appearances for the Mets in spring training, posting a 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and five strikeouts over 6.0 innings pitched. Last season, Kimbrel made 14 combined appearances (13 with the Astros and one with the Braves), recording a 2.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 17 strikeouts over 12 innings pitched. Kimbrel is fifth in MLB history with 440 career saves. April 10 Seiya Suzuki making season debut The Cubs’ outfielder/designated hitter is making his 2026 debut on April 10, as the team announced it has reinstated Suzuki and designated outfielder Dylan Carlson for assignment. Suzuki, who will start in right field and bat fifth in the Cubs’ Friday afternoon matchup against the Pirates, hadn’t yet played this season due to a knee sprain that he suffered while playing for Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Last season, Suzuki totaled a career-high 32 home runs and 103 RBIs, while posting a .245/.326/.478 slash line. April 9 Tigers’ Parker Meadows hospitalized after unfortunate collision Tigers center fielder Meadows was hospitalized overnight after a head-to-head collision with outfielder Riley Greene. A pop fly was hit up in the air, with Greene making the catch and Meadows landing on his back, blood appearing on his face. Medical personnel then helped him stand, carting him off to be treated. Meadows had started 11 of 13 games for the Tigers, batting .250 and having two extra-base hits. He made his major league debut two years ago, also suffering an a nerve injury, causing him to miss his first two months. Angels lose reliever Robert Stephenson for 2026 Angels right-hander Stephenson will miss the 2026 season after having ligament and flexor tendon repair surgery on his right elbow. It is the continuation of injury woes for Stephenson, who was expected to be one of the team’s top relievers after signing a three-year, $33 million deal in January 2024. He missed the 2024 season after undergoing an ulnar collateral ligament repair with an internal brace in May 2024. Stephenson was limited to 12 games in 2025 after he was diagnosed with a stretched biceps nerve. The 33-yard-old had a setback in spring training after attempting to pitch through thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms he experienced in the offseason. Stephenson, who made his MLB debut with Cincinnati in 2016, has a 4.69 ERA in nine seasons. “This guy wants to pitch, this guy wants to be good,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki told MLB.com. “Up until he had that setback in spring training, he was in a good spot mentally. He was excited, he was happy to be back on the mound. So this is heartbreaking.” April 8 Orioles’ Zach Eflin undergoes Tommy John surgery Orioles right-hander Eflin has undergone season-ending Tommy John surgery after leaving a start last month. The surgery was performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, the Orioles said. Eflin has been out since leaving with elbow discomfort in the fourth inning of a start against the Rangers on March 31. The start was his first since last July after dealing with back and lat injuries last season. Eflin, 32, finished 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA in 14 starts last season and re-signed with the team for $10 million in the offseason. He is 68-67 with a 4.28 ERA in 201 career starts over nine big league seasons with Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. Konnor Griffin signs record deal with Pirates The Pirates signed Griffin, who just recently made his MLB debut, to a nine-year deal, the club announced. The total value of the deal is $140 million, and is the largest contract in team history. Griffin, whom Pittsburgh selected with the No. 9 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, is the No. 1 prospect in MLB, per MLB Pipeline. The 19-year-old shortstop has appeared in five games for the Pirates, driving in three runs and boasting a .176/.300/.235 slash line in the early going. “This week has been amazing, debut week, and then sitting here signing a contract, it’s been amazing,” Griffin said. “It’s one of the best weeks of my life. … But it’ll be even better if we can get a win today.” Pirates owner Bob Nutting said the nine-year contract reflects the team’s commitment in winning this season and in the future. “This is an important step for 2026 as we look at it right now, but obviously, this is a long-term commitment,” Nutting said. “It’s a long-term statement of where we’re headed as an organization, where we are headed with this team. … This obviously is an unusual and dramatic step for the Pittsburgh Pirates. So I’m excited, I hope our fans are excited, I hope the city is excited, I know the organization is excited.” When asked why it was important to sign for nine years, Griffin said he sees the Pirates as a winning organization. “I’m pumped to be a Pirate and be a part of this wonderful clubhouse,” Griffin said, looking at his teammates at the back of the room. “A lot of great talent back there and coaches and staff. Thank you all for being here to support me. Y’all made this transition to the big leagues super easy. And I’m just pumped to go compete. The goal is to win. The goal is to win a World Series. And I think we’ve got a great clubhouse to go do that. I’m pumped to be part of it.” The Pirates selected Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft. He sprinted through the team’s farm system, hitting .333 with 21 home runs, 94 RBIs and 65 stolen bases. He was one of the final cuts during spring training last month, and his stay at Triple-A Indianapolis was brief. White Sox option Opening Day starter Shane Smith The White Sox optioned Opening Day starter Smith to Triple-A Charlotte on Wednesday after three shaky outings to begin the season. An All-Star as a rookie last year, Smith has been struggling with his fastball command. The 26-year-old right-hander is 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA. He has allowed 10 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings while walking nine and striking out 11. Smith threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings in Tuesday’s start against Baltimore, but needed 99 pitches to do it. He walked five and hit a batter, and the White Sox went on to lose 4-2 after the Orioles scored three in the eighth. “He’s a total pro,” manager Will Venable said. “He takes accountability and understands the spot that he’s putting the team in. And really it’s about getting him to be the best version of himself. This guy is a very good pitcher. He’s an important part of this organization and an important part of our success.” The White Sox don’t expect it to be a long stay in the minors. But Venable wasn’t putting a timeline on his return. “You know we have a very clear idea of what we need to do,” Venable said. “We just weren’t able to get those results to stick here. So he’s going to continue to make his adjustments.” The White Sox also selected left-hander Tyler Schweitzer’s contract from Charlotte and transferred infielder and outfielder Brooks Baldwin (right elbow surgery) to the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias expected to miss 4-8 weeks Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias is expected to miss four to eight weeks with a moderate left hamstring strain that occurred during Monday night’s game against Kansas City. The 26-year-old was hurt while running out a double in the fifth inning and left the game. He was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after undergoing medical tests, the results of which were announced Wednesday. “He’s in some pain,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said before the three-game series finale against the Royals. Arias, who is batting .200 with two homers and four RBIs in 10 games, will be re-examined weekly throughout his rehabilitation. This is his third full season as a starter for Cleveland. The Guardians recalled second baseman Juan Brito from Triple-A Columbus to take his place in the lineup, while moving Brayan Rocchio from second to shortstop. They started the final two contests against Kansas City. April 7 Cubs’ Cade Horton out for remainder of season Cubs pitcher Horton is done for the 2026 season after an MRI indicated significant UCL damage in his right elbow, per Chicago manager Craig Counsell. This is the 24-year-old’s second elbow reconstruction surgery, getting Tommy John surgery in 2021 during his time at Oklahoma. Last season, Horton pitched 23 games with the Cubs, starting 22 of them. He had a standout season, logging a 2.67 ERA, 97 strikeouts and an 11-4 record. Diamondbacks put Carlos Santana on IL Diamondbacks first baseman Santana, the oldest active position player in the majors, was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right adductor strain. The designation is retroactive to Monday for Santana, who was injured during his lone plate appearance Sunday. The 39-year-old singled against the Braves before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the Diamondbacks’ 6-5, 10-inning win. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said he didn’t know the severity of the strain but expected Santana to be sidelined beyond the 10-day minimum. Orioles trade for reliever Nick Raquet The O’s acquired left-hander Raquet in a trade with the Cardinals. The addition of Raquet puts another lefty in the bullpen for first-year manager Craig Albernaz. The 30-year-old Raquet was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Sunday. The O’s also transferred right-hander Zach Eflin to the 60-day injured list. Right-hander Brandon Young was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. Eflin, 32, is sidelined with right elbow discomfort. Baltimore sent minor-league second baseman Brayden Smith to St. Louis for Raquet, a third-round pick in the 2017 amateur draft. Raquet made his major-league debut last year, tossing two scoreless innings for the Cardinals in September. He was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two relief appearances for Triple-A Peoria this season, last pitching on Wednesday. White Sox place OF Austin Hays on IL Chicago placed Hays on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right hamstring strain. Hays got hurt during Monday night’s 2-1 loss to the Orioles. The 30-year-old Hays signed a $6 million, one-year contract with the White Sox in free agency. He is batting .219 with a homer and six RBIs in nine games this season. The White Sox also brought up outfielder Dustin Harris from Triple-A Charlotte. Right-hander Mike Vasil, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, was transferred to the 60-day injured list. The 26-year-old Harris signed a minor league deal with the team in December. He is batting .217 (10 for 46) with two homers and five RBIs in 21 career MLB games — all with Texas. April 6 Mets place Juan Soto on IL, recall Ronny Mauricio The Mets have placed left fielder Soto on the injured list and recalled Mauricio to take his place, per USA Today. He’s expected to miss at least two weeks. The move is retroactive to April 4, when Soto was diagnosed with a right calf strain after undergoing an MRI. The 27-year-old slugger is hitting .355/.412/.516 with a home run and 11 hits to begin the season. Mauricio, a utility infielder, played in 61 games for the Mets in 2025, batting .226/.293/.369. April 5 Astros lose ace Hunter Brown to IL Houston has placed RHP Brown on the 15-day injured list — for the first time in his career — with a right shoulder strain, the team announced. Brown threw six innings vs. the Red Sox on Tuesday. He allowed one run, one hit and struck out eight batters in what was his first start since throwing 4 2/3 innings on Opening Day vs. the Angels. April 4 Mookie Betts leaves Dodgers game early Betts exited the Dodgers’ game vs. the Nationals in the bottom of the first inning with lower back pain, the team shared. In his only plate appearance before exiting, Betts drew a walk before scoring from first base on Freddie Freeman’s two-run double in the top of the first. Shortstop Miguel Rojas replaced Betts in the bottom of the first. Tigers’ Justin Verlander lands on IL The Tigers announced that they placed the veteran starting pitcher on the 15-day injured list due to left hip inflammation. In the one start he has made this season, Verlander, who’s in his second stint with the Tigers (he pitched in Detroit from 2005-17), surrendered five runs and eight baserunners (six hits and two walks) across 3 2/3 innings. Right-hander Keider Montero was recalled from Triple A to take Verlander’s roster spot. April 3 Brewers sign prospect Cooper Pratt to eight-year, $50M deal Milwaukee finalized an eight-year, $50.75 million contract with Pratt, adding the prized 21-year-old shortstop prospect to the 40-man roster and optioning him to Triple-A Nashville. The deal with Pratt includes club options that could keep him with the Brewers through the 2035 season. Pratt is among the top prospects in a Brewers farm system that ranks among the best in MLB. He was rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 60 overall prospect. Yankees’ Carlos Rodón hopeful injury is minor Yankees left-hander Rodón thinks his tight right hamstring is only a minor setback in his return from elbow surgery last October. Rodón felt the tightness after throwing 50 pitches of batting practice Sunday at the team’s complex in Tampa, Florida. Rodón got hurt while running and New York called off a planned minor league injury rehabilitation outing at Double-A Somerset. Rodón is recovering from surgery on Oct. 15 to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and shave a bone spur. Johan Oviedo added to injured list The Red Sox have placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow strain, the team announced. In the one appearance that Oviedo has made this season, he surrendered two home runs, four earned runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings pitched. Boston acquired Oviedo from the Pirates in the offseason. April 1 Nick Lodolo making rehab start for Reds Lodolo is expected to throw 60 to 65 pitches during a rehab assignment on April 2. The left-hander, who’s on the injured list due to a blister on his left index finger, will make his rehab start for Single-A Daytona against Jupiter in a Florida State League game. If Lodolo has a successful outing, he could join the Reds’ rotation during next week’s series at Miami. Lodolo was 9-8 with a 3.33 ERA and 156 strikeouts last season. Red Sox catcher Carlos Narváez scratched Narváez was scratched from Boston’s finale with the Astros on April 1 for an undisclosed reason. Narváez was removed from the lineup about 2.5 hours before first pitch and replaced behind the plate by Connor Wong. The 27-year-old Narváez is hitting .444 in three games this season. He is in his second season in Boston after beginning his career with the Yankees. The Associated Press contributed to this report.