TheRotofeed

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

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

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

White Sox To Select Jacob Gonzalez

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

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

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

More to come.

White Sox Likely To Place Munetaka Murakami On Injured List

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mets Move David Peterson To Bullpen, Sean Manaea To Rotation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dodgers Re-Sign Santiago Espinal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images

Giants Reassign Third Base Coach Hector Borg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tigers Place Casey Mize On Injured List

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Giants Place Tyler Mahle On Injured List

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

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

More to come.

Dodgers To Re-Sign Santiago Espinal

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

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

Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images

Which Impending Free Agent Bats Are Actually Improving Their Stock?

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:56:11 +0000

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

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

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

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

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

Brandon Lowe, 2B, Pirates

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

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

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

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

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

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Eury Pérez To Miss Eight Weeks With Gracilis Strain

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images

MLB Announces One-Game Suspension For Abner Uribe

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Orioles Re-Sign Albert Suárez

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

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

Anthony Franco

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

NL Central

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

Anthony Franco

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

Mike d

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

Anthony Franco

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Front Office Subscriber Chat With Anthony Franco

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

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

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MLB Weekend Series Preview: NLDS Rematch Between Phillies and Dodgers

Justin Alston — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:00:12 +0000

Philadelphia looks for payback after last year's NLDS loss.

The post MLB Weekend Series Preview: NLDS Rematch Between Phillies and Dodgers appeared first on Pitcher List.

Guardians Select Stuart Fairchild

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:56:30 +0000

The Guardians have selected the contract of outfielder Stuart Fairchild. He takes the active roster spot of fellow outfielder Steven Kwan, who has been placed on the bereavement/family medical emergency list. To open a 40-man spot, infielder Gabriel Arias has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. Tim Stebbins of MLB.com was among those to relay the moves.

More to come.

Orioles To Re-Sign Albert Suárez

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:45:53 +0000

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

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

Pirates Designate Justin Lawrence For Assignment

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:40:01 +0000

The Pirates announced that right-hander Justin Lawrence has been designated for assignment. That opens active and 40-man roster space for righty Jared Jones. It was reported yesterday that Jones would be activated from the 60-day injured list to start tonight’s game.

Lawrence, 31, is having a poor season. He has thrown 22 innings for the Bucs, allowing 5.32 earned runs per nine. His 23.6% strikeout rate and 43.1% walk rate are decent but his 11.3% walk rate is quite high and he has allowed four home runs.

The Pirates were surely expecting much better. Lawrence had spent 2021 to 2024 with the Rockies, posting a 5.43 ERA. The Bucs claimed him off waivers ahead of the 2025 season, perhaps hoping that getting Lawrence away from Coors Field would help him out. That worked last year, in a sense. Lawrence missed a few months due to elbow inflammation and only made 17 appearances, but the results were great. He had a 0.51 ERA in that time. His 11.6% walk rate was too high but he struck out a third of batters faced and induced grounders on 47.2% of balls in play.

Pittsburgh tendered Lawrence a contract for 2026 and he is making $1.225MM this year but that investment has not worked out so far. Lawrence is out of options and has been bumped into DFA limbo. That can last as long as a week but the waiver process takes 48 hours, so the club could take as long as five days to explore trade interest.

Though Lawrence isn’t having his best season, it’s possible there’s some interest. The salary is barely over this year’s $780K league minimum. His four-seamer and sinker average in the upper-90s. His control has never been good, with a 12.3% walk rate in his career, but he has always induced grounders and has occasionally flashed big strikeout potential as well. This year’s struggles are partially due to a drop in strikeouts but also to a home run spike, leading to an unfortunate 55.6% strand rate. His 3.79 SIERA suggests he could have fared better with a slight change in luck.

If Lawrence were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he would have the right to elect free agency but likely wouldn’t do so. Players with three years of service time have the right to elect free agency but need five years of service to exercise that right while keeping their salary commitments in place. Lawrence is in between those three- and five-year lines and he is still owed about $800K on his contract. Presumably, he wouldn’t want to walk away from that money and would accept an assignment to the minors.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Waiver Relief: Week 10

Alex Kamberis — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:30:08 +0000

The best RP pickups in fantasy baseball, every week, all season long.

The post Waiver Relief: Week 10 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Reds Place Graham Ashcraft On 60-Day IL With UCL Sprain

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:15:30 +0000

The Reds announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Yunior Marté. To open spots on the active and 40-man rosters, right-hander Graham Ashcraft has been placed directly onto the 60-day injured list with a sprain in his ulnar collateral ligament.

The Ashcraft news is both devastating and surprising. He last appeared for the Reds on Monday and there wasn’t any indication anything was amiss. He recorded two strikeouts and a groundout in a scoreless inning, with his velocity in line with previous outings.

Presumably, some discomfort popped up in between that outing and today and testing found a sprain of Ashcraft’s UCL. The team hasn’t announced any information but the fact that Ashcraft has been placed directly on the 60-day IL suggests they don’t expect him back anytime soon.

Not all UCL sprains lead to surgery. In recent years, guys like Mason Miller and Grant Holmes have suffered UCL sprains and managed to come back without surgery, but even those situations required a few months of recovery. Miller’s diagnosis was in May of 2023 and he was back on the mound in September of that same year. Holmes suffered his sprain in July of last year but was healthy for spring training here in 2026.

Perhaps that means Ashcraft could return later this year in a best-case scenario. But the worst-case scenario is Tommy John surgery, which usually comes with a recovery timeline of 14 months or more. That would wipe out the rest of his season and most of his 2027 campaign as well.

Either way, it’s another blow to the Cincinnati bullpen. The Reds are already without closer Emilio Pagán, who hit the IL earlier this month with a hamstring strain. That only made Ashcraft’s contributions more important. Ashcraft picked up 23 holds for the Reds last year, posting a 3.99 earned run average. His 22.5% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate were around average but his 55.9% ground ball rate was quite strong.

Here in 2026, he has added a save and another ten holds. His walk rate has ticked up to 14.7% but his strikeout rate also jumped, getting to 29.4%. His ground ball rate has held fairly steady at 54.1%. The end result is a slightly better ERA of 3.33.

With both Pagán and Ashcraft on the IL, the Reds will have to rely on guys like Tony Santillan, Brock Burke and Pierce Johnson for leverage work. Santillan has a decent track record but is not having a good season, with a 5.57 ERA so far. Burke has a 3.60 ERA but is walking a tightrope, having given free passes to 14.3% of opponents. Johnson’s 3.27 ERA is decent but he’s gotten some help from a .262 batting average on balls in play and 83.3% strand rate.

Marté, 31, returns to the big leagues for the first time in a couple of years. He got some time with the Giants and Phillies from 2022 to 2024, posting a 5.64 ERA over 113 1/3 innings. He spent 2025 in Japan, pitching for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball, posting a 1.95 ERA for that club.

He returned to North America this past offseason by signing a minor league deal with the Reds. He has thrown 19 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this year with a 5.12 ERA. His 50% ground ball rate and 27.4% strikeout rate are good but he has walked 12.6% of batters faced and been vulnerable to the long ball, with an 18.8% home run to fly ball ratio. For now, he’ll add a fresh arm to the bullpen. If the Reds want to make a change in the future, Marté is out of options.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Doster, Imagn Images

Catchers to Stream: Week 10

Mitch Steinberg — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:00:47 +0000

Catcher news and streamer options for Week 10.

The post Catchers to Stream: Week 10 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Subscriber Chat With Nicklaus Gaut

Nicklaus Gaut — Fri, 29 May 2026 18:00:46 +0000

Nicklaus Gaut will be talking fantasy baseball with Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers today at 1 PM Central time. Get your question in early or participate in the live event at the link below!

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Rays Designate Jon Heasley For Assignment, Select Andrew Wantz

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:40:08 +0000

The Rays announced that they have reinstated infielder Ben Williamson from the 10-day injured list and selected the contract of right-hander Andrew Wantz. In corresponding moves, infielder Carson Williams has been optioned to Triple-A Durham and righty Jon Heasley has been designated for assignment.

Wantz, 30, has pitched in parts of four seasons with the Angels, totaling 118 1/3 frames at the MLB level. He’s logged a solid 3.88 ERA in that time and turned in a strong 25.7% strikeout rate. Wantz’s 9.8% walk rate is a bit high, and he’ll probably always be a bit homer-prone just due to his extreme fly-ball tendencies (career 29.5% ground-ball rate), but he’s pitched decently when healthy and in the majors.

The health component is a notable one for Wantz. He’s only in the Rays organization by virtue of a two-year minor league contract he signed ahead of the 2025 season. The Rays knew Wantz would miss nearly all of 2025 upon signing him. Wantz spent most of the 2024 campaign on the injured list with the Halos and eventually underwent surgery. The Angels removed him from the 40-man roster following the ’24 campaign, rather than carry an injured player on the 40-man roster all winter, and the Rays scooped him up a few months later.

Wantz wound up pitching 13 minor league rehab innings late last year. He’s healthy now and has appeared in 18 Triple-A games with the Rays. The 6’4″, 235-pound righty has been dinged for a 7.04 ERA in 23 innings, with most of the damage coming over his five most recent outings (11 runs allowed in seven frames). However, Wantz has been dogged by a massive .403 average on balls in play. His 20.7% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate are both worse than the major league average, but not by much, and his 4.02 FIP suggests that better days should be on the horizon.

Wantz is out of minor league options. He won’t be able to be sent back to Durham unless he clears waivers first, and even then, he’d have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, given that he’s previously been outrighted in the past. It’s possible this will just be a brief one-off look in the majors, but Tampa Bay has invested more than a year of effort into rehabbing the righty, so they’d presumably like to take a look at him for more than just an appearance or two.

Meanwhile, Heasley’s stint with the Rays’ big league club will be just such a one-off look, it seems. Tampa Bay signed him to a minor league deal last month. He made one big league appearance this week after his contract was selected from Durham, wherein he surrendered five runs in four innings of work.

The 29-year-old Heasley has now pitched in parts of five seasons between the Royals, O’s and Rays. He’s totaled 143 innings with a 6.04 ERA, a perilously low 14.3% strikeout rate and a solid 8.7% walk rate. The former 13th-round pick out of Oklahoma State had strong numbers in the minors up through Double-A but has been hit hard in Triple-A and the majors. He’s out of big league options, so any team that picks him up would need to plug him right onto the major league roster. Between that fact and his struggles between Triple-A and MLB, he’ll likely clear waivers. The Rays have five days to look for a trade partner or waive him. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so Heasley’s DFA will be resolved within a week’s time.

This Week in Baseball History – 5-29-26

Joe Landolina — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:30:24 +0000

First, big deals, almost-perfect games, and the weird and wacky await.

The post This Week in Baseball History – 5-29-26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Rookie Check In: Bubba Chandler, Parker Messick, and Nolan McLean

Corbin Young — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:30:04 +0000

Should we buy, sell, or hold these three rookie starting pitchers?

Source

Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 5/28: Slick Grayson

Nick Pollack — Fri, 29 May 2026 17:07:05 +0000

Nick Pollack reviews every starting pitcher performance from Thursday.

The post Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 5/28: Slick Grayson appeared first on Pitcher List.

Supersized Combo Meal for Ronald – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 05/27/2026

Justin Havelock — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:30:55 +0000

Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games.

The post Supersized Combo Meal for Ronald – Fantasy Hitting Recap – 05/27/2026 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Braves Designate Carlos Carrasco For Assignment

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:17:17 +0000

The Braves announced Friday that veteran righty Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment yet again. His spot on the roster goes to righty Anthony Molina, who’s been recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.

It’s the fourth time since last August that Atlanta has designated Carrasco for assignment. The 39-year-old has passed through waivers on each of the three prior instances, elected free agency, and re-signed with the Braves on a minor league deal. He also inked a minors pact with Atlanta over the winter after becoming a free agent at season’s end.

This type of setup for veteran arms who can’t be optioned has become increasingly commonplace around the league. In recent years, the Mariners (Casey Lawrence), Yankees (Ryan Weber, David Hale), Orioles (Albert Suarez) and Braves themselves (Carrasco, Jesse Chavez) are among the clubs that have carried something of a “41st man” on the 40-man roster — a veteran who’ll repeatedly clear waivers and is comfortable returning on a series of minor league deals, knowing he’ll be back in the major league fold before long.

Carrasco has pitched well when the Braves have summoned him to the majors. He’s tossed 7 1/3 innings and held opponents to a pair of runs on six hits and no walks with four strikeouts. He’s been sharp in Gwinnett, too, logging a flat 3.00 ERA (21 K%, 5.6 BB%) in 30 innings of work there.

Once a high-end starter in Cleveland, Carrasco was traded to the Mets as part of the Francisco Lindor blockbuster several years ago. He had a strong 2022 season in Queens but has largely seen his effectiveness wane since. From 2023-25, he tossed 239 1/3 big league innings with a 6.36 ERA.

Atlanta will have five days to trade Carrasco, place him on waivers or release him. The former doesn’t seem likely, based on how they’ve handled him to this point. It’s quite probable that Carrasco will hit waivers, and if he goes unclaimed, he’ll briefly become a free agent and re-sign with the Braves.

The two parties are clearly comfortable with this arrangement, which works for all parties. The team gets a flexible long relief option who can make a spot start if needed and serve as a veteran mentor for some younger arms (both in the majors and in Gwinnett). Carrasco gets big league service/pay for any time spent on the big league roster or in DFA limbo. He’s already picked up 22 days of service this year; even at the prorated minimum he’d be approaching $100K in big league earnings this season, though given his veteran status, his minor league pacts are probably coming with a slightly heavier base salary for major league time.

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/28

Rick Graham — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:13:42 +0000

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

The post Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 5/28 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 5/29 & 5/30 & 5/31

Nick Pollack — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:05:11 +0000

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

The post Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 5/29 & 5/30 & 5/31 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Is It Legit? 5/29/2026: Max Meyer, Ryan Waldschmidt, Curtis Mead

Ryan Clark — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:00:32 +0000

Are Max Meyer, Ryan Waldschmidt, and Curtis Mead for real?

The post Is It Legit? 5/29/2026: Max Meyer, Ryan Waldschmidt, Curtis Mead appeared first on Pitcher List.

Bryan Baker: From a 5 ERA to Closer for the Best Team in the AL

Matthew Creally — Fri, 29 May 2026 16:00:04 +0000

For relievers, a lot can happen in a year.

The post Bryan Baker: From a 5 ERA to Closer for the Best Team in the AL appeared first on Pitcher List.

Top 150 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball 2026 – Week 9

Scott Chu — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:51:37 +0000

Scott Chu updates his top 150 hitters for fantasy baseball.

The post Top 150 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball 2026 – Week 9 appeared first on Pitcher List.

H&J 150 – Walker Keeps Rising

Brett Ford — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:45:03 +0000

Brett and Scott talk through the best bats in fantasy baseball

The post H&J 150 – Walker Keeps Rising appeared first on Pitcher List.

Rangers Release Dairon Blanco

Steve Adams — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:43:23 +0000

The Rangers have released outfielder Dairon Blanco, who’d been playing with their Triple-A club, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com. The former Royals speedster joined the Rangers via a March waiver claim and was later passed through outright waivers, so he wasn’t on the 40-man roster.

Blanco, 33, is one of the fastest players in pro ball and has a decent track record at the plate in limited action across parts of four seasons with the Royals. He’s posted a .257/.312/.416 slash (99 wRC+) in 285 plate appearances across parts of four seasons, but he’s never topped 138 major league plate appearances in a given season. Part of the reason for Blanco’s solid career rate stats is that he was heavily platooned and thus saw a disproportionate number of those plate appearances (42%) against lefties. He’s a career .296/.353/.509 (137 wRC+) hitter against southpaws but just a .228/.281/.349 (70 wRC+) in right-on-right matchups in the majors.

So far in 2026, Blanco has received limited run in Triple-A and hasn’t performed to his typical levels. He’s come to the plate 73 times in 21 games and turned in a tepid .230/.324/.295 slash with no home runs, four doubles and seven steals (in nine tries). The production is well shy of average even in Triple-A, but Blanco entered the season with a career .289/.367/.447 slash at the top minor league level.

Blanco has experience at all three outfield positions. His outstanding speed gives him the range to cover any of the spots, but he’s been dinged for a below-average arm dating back to his prospect days. It hasn’t graded out well during his big league time, making him best suited for left field with occasional work in center.

It’s not the most well-rounded skill set, but Blanco is a plus-plus runner who can move around the outfield and hit left-handed pitching at a decent clip. Coupled with a solid track record in Triple-A, that should get him a look with another organization in need of some righty-swinging outfield depth.

Ottoneu Starting Pitching Planner: June 1–7

Jake Mailhot — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:30:44 +0000

Ottoneu Starting Pitcher sit/start recommendations for the week of June 1–7.

Source

Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 5/29

Rick Graham — Fri, 29 May 2026 14:07:07 +0000

The Best Reliever Streamers for Today with Updated Bullpen Usage Charts

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

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

Nick Mariano — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:44:08 +0000

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

MLB News & Moments: 10 K’s from Paul Skenes Isn’t Enough to Beat the Cubs

Michael Hanlon — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:30:09 +0000

While the White Sox continue to impress.

The post MLB News & Moments: 10 K’s from Paul Skenes Isn’t Enough to Beat the Cubs appeared first on Pitcher List.

The Opener: Jones, Martinez, Bello

Charlie Wright — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:21:10 +0000

Braves left-hander Chris Sale allowed a pair of runs over five innings to earn a win over the Red Sox on Thursday. He’s defeated Boston in all three starts since getting traded before the 2024 season. Sale has a 1.50 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 18 innings against his former club.

1. Jones makes his return

Pirates right-hander Jared Jones is expected to make his season debut on Friday against the Twins. The hard-throwing righty is making his way back from UCL surgery. He missed the entire 2025 season. Jones pitched well as a rookie in 2024, delivering a sub-4.00 SIERA with more than a strikeout per inning across 22 starts. The recent top prospect was forming a strong 1-2 punch with Paul Skenes before going down with the elbow issue. Jones has excelled in five rehab starts, racking up 24 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings with a 2.89 ERA. He’ll likely replace Carmen Mlodzinski in the rotation.

2. Martinez chasing ERA crown

Rays right-hander Nick Martinez faces the Angels tonight with a chance to move into the top spot on the ERA leaderboard. He’s been stuck behind Cam Schlittler, who tossed six innings of one-run ball last time out to keep his mark at 1.50. Martinez quieted Schlitter’s Yankees in his last outing, working around nine hits to post a quality start. He has an ERA of 1.51 through 10 appearances. Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez overtook both Martinez and Schlittler on Wednesday with yet another scoreless start. A 4.25 xERA and a 4.49 SIERA suggest Martinez’s run won’t last, though he draws an Angels offense that ranks 28th in wRC+ against righties in May.

3. Bello behind an opener

Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello will operate as a bulk reliever on Friday. Lefty Tyler Samaniego will draw the start and cover an inning or two. It’ll be Bello’s fourth appearance out of the bullpen. His results have been wildly different as a traditional starter compared to a bulk reliever this year. The righty has a 9.68 ERA in 30 2/3 innings as a starter. Coming out of the bullpen, he’s put up a 0.98 ERA over 18 1/3 frames. With Samaniego on the mound in the first inning, Bello will duck lefties Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter the first time through the order. He’ll also avoid switch-hitter Jose Ramirez.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 5/29/26

Carson Picard — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:07:54 +0000

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

The post Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 5/29/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 5/29/26

Scott McDermott — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:30 +0000

Welcome back to the Show, Jared Jones

The post Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 5/29/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Roto Riteup: May 29, 2026

Vlad Sedler — Fri, 29 May 2026 11:30:46 +0000

Does Christian Scott hold a record in futility? Help me figure it out after reading the Roto Riteup!

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The Shallows EP 016 – The Sinatra Awards

Erik Hinrichsen — Fri, 29 May 2026 11:00:24 +0000

Positive news only, players crashing in May, Marco! Polo!

The post The Shallows EP 016 – The Sinatra Awards appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Chart – May 29th, 2026

Paul Sporer — Fri, 29 May 2026 05:13:55 +0000

Thin board to start the weekend with only 11 starters recommended across the board

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Blue Jays’ Joe Mantiply To Undergo Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Anthony Franco — Fri, 29 May 2026 04:54:21 +0000

Blue Jays southpaw Joe Mantiply will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee, manager John Schneider told reporters Thursday (relayed by Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet). The veteran reliever went on the injured list a couple weeks ago with what was initially diagnosed as inflammation.

It seems there’s some damage beyond inflammation that requires a scope to correct. (The Blue Jays didn’t provide specifics on Mantiply’s injury, but arthroscopic knee procedures frequently involve a meniscus or patellar tendon repair.) Schneider didn’t give a return timeline but said the Jays don’t believe it’ll be a season-ending procedure.

Mantiply finished last season in Triple-A in the Toronto system. He returned on a minor league deal midway through Spring Training. The Jays selected him onto the MLB roster a couple weeks into the regular season. Mantiply pitched well before the injury, working to a 2.04 ERA across 17 2/3 innings. He fanned 16 of 71 opponents (22.5%) while issuing only four walks.

The 35-year-old southpaw sits in the 88-89 mph range with his sinker. His arsenal is geared more towards weak contact than whiffs — this year’s league average strikeout rate notwithstanding — and he has mostly pitched in low-leverage spots. His loss is nevertheless a hit to an area in which the Jays were already lacking.

Brendon Little, their projected top left-handed bullpen arm, had a horrible start to the season and has been in Triple-A since early April. He’s missing bats in the minors but walking too many hitters. Mason Fluharty and rookie Adam Macko are the two lefties in the MLB bullpen. Ricky Tiedemann is on the 40-man roster but hasn’t pitched since 2024 due to elbow issues. Although Macko has been sharp over his first six MLB appearances, this figures to be a clear target for the Jays if they’re in position to add at the deadline.

Mantiply is one of 10 pitchers on Toronto’s injured list. Depending on his recovery timeline, he could move to the 60-day IL when they need to open another 40-man roster spot.