Manager Joe Espada told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and others that Altuve will undergo imaging tomorrow. It’s too early to say whether he’ll need time on the injured list, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a cautionary IL placement given Altuve’s age. He is now 36 and in his 16th season in the Majors. Altuve previously went on the IL in August 2023 with left oblique discomfort, missing three weeks. His two other left side-related IL placements were in April 2022 and May 2019. Both were for left hamstring strains.

Although he’s still a veteran leader for the Astros, Altuve is no longer the hitter he was at his peak. By wRC+, he was at least 24% better than the average hitter in every season from 2014-24, with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Altuve slipped to a 113 wRC+ in 2025, which was still above average, just no longer All Star-worthy. The early returns in 2026 have been worse, with Altuve’s .245/.328/.365 line now being 3% below average.

That hardly makes him a bad player, but it does make him one of the weaker hitters in an otherwise strong offense. Yordan Alvarez is dominating with 14 home runs and a 190 wRC+. Christian Walker is having a resurgence after a poor introduction to Houston in 2025. Isaac Paredes is hitting well, and so was Carlos Correa before he underwent season-ending ankle surgery. In contrast, Altuve is the sole veteran of the group who is below league average at the plate.

Whether or not he needs to miss time, a healthy and productive Altuve will be crucial to the team’s performance this year. The Astros are at 19-28 including tonight’s victory, which leaves them in fourth place in the NL West. The biggest culprit for their poor start has been a slew of pitching injuries, with ace Hunter Brown, Christian Javier, and closer Josh Hader all currently on the shelf. Offseason signee Tatsuya Imai also missed time with right arm fatigue, and while he’s healthy now, he has a 9.24 ERA in four starts.

Returning to respectability will require the offense to remain a strength and the pitchers’ health and performance to improve dramatically. Fortunately, the starting rotation may be closer to getting a key reinforcement. Espada said that Brown is set to throw a final live batting practice on Tuesday (link via McTaggart). Assuming no issues there, he will begin a rehab assignment soon after.

Brown made two starts before landing on the IL on April 5th with a right shoulder strain. He was projected for a 5-7 week rehab period as of April 19th, and he was formally transferred to the 60-day IL on May 9th. That makes Brown eligible to return in early June, perhaps during the June 5-7 home series against the Athletics. He’d be in line for at least three rehab starts if Houston wants to bring him back as soon as possible, though they do have up to 30 days for Brown’s rehab assignment. Whatever the case, the Astros’ rotation will massively benefit from Brown’s return if he continues his performance from last year, when he had a 2.43 ERA and finished third in AL Cy Young voting.

As for Hader, he will need five more rehab appearances according to McTaggart. Hader started the year on the IL with left biceps tendinitis, transferring to the 60-day IL in mid-April. In 52 2/3 innings last year, he was his usual excellent self. Hader posted a 2.05 ERA and a 29.1% strikeout to walk differential that ranked fifth among qualified relievers. As with Brown, Hader is expected to return in early June according to the team’s injury report on MLB.com. That will go a long way toward boosting the Astros’ bullpen, whose 5.81 ERA is dead last in the Majors.

Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images

5:44 PM: The Giants are placing outfielder Heliot Ramos on the 10-day injured list, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Per Justice de los Santos of The Mercury News, Ramos has a right quad strain. The team is also activating Erik Miller from his rehab assignment, optioning Tristan Beck to Triple-A, and recalling Will Brennan. 

Ramos suffered the injury in the fifth inning of yesterday’s 5-2 loss to the Athletics. He attempted a sliding catch on a line drive from Jeff McNeil and came up short, with McNeil reaching on a single. Ramos looked uncomfortable in his at-bat in the sixth, striking out swinging before leaving the game with a trainer. Casey Schmitt replaced Ramos in left field.

Ramos underwent an MRI today, and evidently the quad strain was severe enough to warrant a trip to the injured list. It’s only the second time Ramos has been on the IL in his career. The first was in 2023, when he missed two months with a right oblique strain. As for his current injury, Ramos can expect to miss a couple of weeks for a mild quad strain, or several months if it’s severe. The precise timeline should be known in the coming days as the team reviews the test results.

In the meantime, the Giants will be without their everyday left fielder and a slightly above-average bat. Ramos broke out with a 120 wRC+ in 121 games in 2024. He declined to a 106 wRC+ last year, though he still hit 21 home runs and was still plenty productive. Ramos was out to a similar start this year, with a .267/.307/.424 line in his first 176 plate appearances. That amounts to a 105 wRC+, indicating Ramos is 5% better than average at the plate. Even accounting for his poor defense (-9 Outs Above Average in left field last year), Ramos is a serviceable all-around player for the Giants.

The team has a few options for left field in Ramos’ absence. Drew Gilbert was a first-round draft pick by the Astros four years ago, but he has a 70 wRC+ through his first 189 career plate appearances. Utilityman Jesus Rodriguez hit well at Triple-A last year, though he’s a catcher by trade and only has 41 innings of outfield experience at Triple-A (and only nine innings in the Majors). Brennan is now up from Triple-A, but he’s only taken 22 big league plate appearances since the start of 2025, so he won’t be trusted with regular at-bats.

It’s telling that the Giants turned to Schmitt in left after taking Ramos out of the game. It was reported a week ago that the club was considering using Schmitt in the outfield to keep his bat in the lineup. Schmitt has a team-leading 129 wRC+ at the moment, so the struggling Giants are playing it smart by exploring all options for him. Statcast has Schmitt’s arm strength and sprint speed as above-average, so his athleticism and current offensive prowess make him an appealing option compared to Gilbert, Rodriguez, and Brennan. Indeed, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports confirms that Schmitt will be part of the left field mix, based on comments from manager Tony Vitello.

Meanwhile, Miller returns from a minimum stint on the IL with a lower back strain. The 6’5″ lefty has thrown 108 2/3 innings as a reliever and opener since debuting in 2024. Miller has a 3.15 ERA in that time, with a solid 27.4% strikeout rate but also a 13.9% walk rate that’s worse than average. In light of those metrics, Miller thrives by leveraging a high-90s sinker to generate groundballs 50.2% of the time, which is well above league average.

Miller’s return will be a boon to the Giants’ bullpen. In his place, Beck will go back to Triple-A five days after being recalled. The right-hander showed impressive control in 56 2/3 innings last year but had a middling 4.61 ERA. Beck only made two appearances during this latest stint in the Majors, allowing two hits in three scoreless innings and striking out one. He’ll serve as depth at Triple-A and is likely to be called up again at some point.

Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images

Trivino, 34, signed a different minor league pact with the Phillies in February. He got an invite to big league spring training in that deal but ultimately started the year at Triple-A. To his credit, Trivino had a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings there, along with solid strikeout, walk, and groundball metrics. The Phillies did not promote him to the Majors, so Trivino opted out of his deal on May 1st. He signed a major league pact with Baltimore on May 4th and only made two appearances, allowing six earned runs in half as many innings. Trivino was designated for assignment on May 10th.

This current minor league deal is Trivino’s third with the Phillies. The first and most impactful one was last August, which followed Trivino’s release from the Dodgers. Trivino held his own over 10 appearances with Philadelphia from August 27th onward. He allowed just two earned runs in nine innings in that sample.

Altogether, Trivino had a 3.97 ERA in 47 2/3 innings between the Giants, Dodgers, and Phillies last year. His 17.9% strikeout rate was low, and Trivino’s 5.10 expected ERA suggested he was lucky to achieve that performance. Still, having not appeared in the Majors from 2023-24 due to Tommy John surgery, it was an accomplishment for Trivino to simply stay healthy for a full season.

There is little harm in the Phillies stashing Trivino in Triple-A as depth. The team’s bullpen has a solid 3.85 ERA and 2.5 fWAR, the latter metric ranking second in the Majors behind the Padres. Jhoan Duran is among the most dominant closers in the game. Brad Keller has a 3.86 ERA and an above-average 21.8% strikeout to walk differential. José Alvarado and Tanner Banks have high ERAs right now, but they’re do for positive regression. Opponents are batting over .460 on balls in play on both of them, which obviously won’t hold over time.

Each member of the back end of the bullpen is strong in terms of talent, peripherals, or both. The low-leverage arms aren’t too bad either. Out of Orion Kerkering, Tim Mayza, Chase Shugart, and Jonathan Bowlan, Mayza is the only one with a negative fWAR right now. The other three have been plenty serviceable. With the bullpen being a team strength and the rotation led by Cristopher Sánchez also performing well, the 23-23 Phillies may be less inclined to mess with their pitching than they are to improve their offense, which has a below-average 94 wRC+. As was the case with his second Phillies deal, Trivino will bide his time in Triple-A until the bullpen needs a fresh arm, be it from overuse or injury.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Gomber, 32, joined the Rangers organization in a non-roster deal in January. He was a candidate to be their fifth starter, though Gomber was sent to Triple-A when the job ultimately went to Kumar Rocker. Gomber’s results at Triple-A haven’t been pretty. In 33 2/3 innings over nine appearances (eight starts), Gomber had a 7.75 ERA while allowing 41 hits and 14 unintentional walks.

That follows a 2025 season defined by injuries and underperformance. Gomber started the year on the injured list with left shoulder soreness and did not return to the Rockies until June 15th. He made 12 starts in the following two months, but the results were a far cry from Gomber’s previous back-of-the-rotation work. In 57 2/3 innings, Gomber had a 7.49 ERA and just a 12.5% strikeout rate.

Although his control was typically excellent, Gomber allowed a staggering 16 home runs in that time, or 2.50 HR/9. That mark was unacceptable even for Coors Field. Gomber was released by the Rockies on August 22nd. He quickly signed a minor league pact with the Cubs, but he did not make it back to the Majors by the end of the year. Gomber elected minor league free agency in November.

That said, Gomber is only two seasons removed from being a serviceable starter. He threw 165 innings over 30 starts for the Rockies in 2024, with an impressive 5.5% walk rate and a 4.75 ERA. The latter figure seems uninspiring on the surface, but it’s roughly league average when adjusting for Coors Field. FanGraphs valued Gomber at 1.3 WAR that year – perfectly fine for a No. 5 starter.

Even though that performance is two years old now, there’s no harm in the Braves taking a flier on Gomber. Atlanta’s rotation leads the Majors with a 2.93 ERA through 45 games, and their 23.6% strikeout rate is tied for eighth with the Pirates. Chris Sale and Bryce Elder have ERAs under 2.00. Spencer Strider returned from the injured list on May 3rd and has done well in three starts (aside from walk issues). Grant Holmes is a fine as a No. 4 starter. JR Ritchie is 22 and only just debuted, so he’ll continue to get chances in the back of the rotation.

Spring injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep depleted the group’s depth somewhat, but Martin Perez is on hand as a long reliever and has made five starts of at least five innings this year. With Perez as the main depth option for now, Gomber can try to re-establish himself at Triple-A and stay ready for a callup if somebody else gets injured.

Photo courtesy of Arianna Grainey, Imagn Images

MAY 15: The Dodgers are placing left-hander Blake Snell back on the injured list, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Lefty Charlie Barnes is being recalled in a corresponding move, according to Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times. Snell, whose placement is backdated to May 12th, reportedly has “loose bodies” in his throwing elbow.

Snell was only just activated from the injured list on May 9th, so this unfortunately makes for a quick return. He had missed the first month of the season with left shoulder fatigue. Snell then made two rehab starts at Single-A and one final start at Triple-A, in which he lasted four innings. The Dodgers somewhat surprisingly activated Snell despite previously wanting him to be stretched out to five innings in his rehab stint. In the end, Snell only made one start in the Majors before landing back on the injured list, and it didn’t go particularly well, with Snell allowing five runs (four earned) in three innings on the 9th against the Braves.

According to manager Dave Roberts, Snell felt something “in the back of” his left elbow during a game of catch yesterday (link via Ardaya). That led to the discovery of the loose bodies. Ardaya adds that there is no set plan right now as to whether Snell will require surgery. Notably, Snell underwent arthroscopic surgery in July 2019 to remove loose bodies from the same elbow, and he ended up missing six weeks. While this new injury isn’t a re-aggravation of Snell’s shoulder troubles, the mention of loose bodies in his elbow is equally troubling. A precise timeline will hopefully be known in the next few days, but the expectation is that Snell will return before the end of the season, according to Alden González of MLB.com and others.

The loss of Snell is a big hit to the Dodgers’ rotation. Tyler Glasnow went on the injured list a week ago with lower back spasms. The team had been using a six-man rotation to protect the health of their starters, particularly Shohei Ohtani, who is aiming for a full season as both a pitcher and a hitter for the first time since 2023. With Glasnow and Snell both out of the picture, the rotation is a five-man group consisting of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and Roki Sasaki. Sasaki has a 5.88 ERA through 33 2/3 innings and is the clear weak spot in the rotation. He might have been demoted if Snell simply took Glasnow’s spot, but with both injured, Sasaki’s spot appears safe for now.

The Dodgers have a few options to replace Snell, but they each come with risks. River Ryan was just activated at Triple-A after missing a month with a hamstring injury. He is only “a slim possibility” to eventually join the big league rotation, according to Roberts (via Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Left-hander Jackson Ferris is the club’s No. 8 prospect according to MLB.com. He’s only made six starts at Triple-A with a 7.43 ERA, so he’d be over-exposed in the Majors. Among non-prospects, Barnes might be the fallback option. FanGraphs has him as the long man in the Dodgers’ bullpen for now, but Barnes has been a starter for nearly all of his career in MLB and the Korea Baseball Organization. He could take a few turns through the rotation as a temporary stopgap, which would preserve the Dodgers’ six-man rotation.

Photo courtesy of Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images

Siri joined the Halos on a minor league pact in February. He was invited to big league Spring Training but ended up starting the year at Triple-A. That was hardly surprising, as Siri missed most of 2025 with a left tibia fracture and only played in 16 games for the Mets. New York designated Siri for assignment in September, and he later elected minor league free agency rather than accept an outright assignment.

Now back in the Majors, Siri will take the role of Teodosio as a backup outfielder. Jo Adell has a hold on the right field job, and obviously Mike Trout isn’t going anywhere in center. Josh Lowe is struggling badly as the everyday option in left. Through his first 117 plate appearances, Lowe is batting a measly .167/.216/.287 with a 37 wRC+. It’s possible he and Siri could split time, though the Angels won’t give up on Lowe entirely. They only just acquired him in a three-team trade in January, and Lowe was an average hitter as recently as 2024.

In contrast, Siri’s recent track record is more suspect. He was a 106 wRC+ bat in 2023 with the Rays and hit 25 homers that year. However, he also struck out in 35.7% of his plate appearances and got on base at a .267 clip that was far below average. Siri needed to maintain that power and get on base more to remain valuable, but the exact opposite happened in 2024. Siri batted just .187/.255/.366 in 448 plate appearances that year, amounting to just a 78 wRC+.

More likely, Siri is on the active roster for his defense. Statcast has him at 39 Outs Above Average since debuting in 2021, including 16 OAA in center field in 2024. In addition to his plus range, Siri showed 97th percentile arm strength and 99th percentile sprint speed that year. It remains to be seen how he’ll hold up after missing so much time last year, but at the very least, Siri is a capable defender at all three outfield spots. He could see time as a late-inning replacement for Lowe and especially Adell.

Siri’s defense and ceiling as an average hitter give him an edge over Teodosio, who now goes to Triple-A. Teodosio debuted for the Angels in 2024 and has taken 213 plate appearances since then, mostly in 2025. Unfortunately, he’s offered just about nothing at the plate, batting .198/.242/.279 with a single home run and a 43 wRC+. Like Siri, Teodosio is no slouch on defense, with 13 OAA in just under 600 innings of outfield work. However, Teodosio strikes out over 30% of the time and, unlike Siri, doesn’t have the power to even approach respectable hitting. He’ll bide his time as a depth option at Triple-A until an injury crops up.

As for Joyce, his transfer to the 60-day IL is unsurprising. Joyce has been slowed in his rehab assignment by minor shoulder discomfort, although a recent MRI came back clean. The team is hopeful it’s just normal soreness and that Joyce can return soon after May 26th, when he’s first eligible to come off the IL. The Angels, who have a 5.17 bullpen ERA, could use Joyce back sooner rather than later.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

Strahm has dealt with right knee inflammation in the past. The first occurrence was in September 2020, and in that case, Strahm missed only 12 days. The second case was about a year later, and again, Strahm missed only two weeks. He went on the IL twice in 2022, but not for knee injuries. Strahm was fully healthy from 2023 onward, so between that and his minimal absences for knee inflammation in the past, the Royals can expect him to be back in short order.

Kansas City acquired Strahm from the Phillies in December in a one-for-one swap for Jonathan Bowlan. Strahm was coming off an excellent 2.30 ERA in 125 relief innings from 2024-25 and a recent All-Star nomination in 2024. His acquisition added an experienced lefty to the Royals’ bullpen at an affordable $4.5MM salary for 2026.

Strahm has been serviceable for the Royals, though he’s taken a step back from last year’s 2.74 ERA with the Phillies. In 16 1/3 innings over 17 appearances, Strahm has a 3.86 ERA. His 23.9% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate are both worse than last year, albeit to league average. More concerningly, Strahm’s velocity is down across the board. His four-seamer, which he uses 36.3% of the time, is down from 92.2 to 91.1 MPH, which Statcast has in just the seventh percentile.

Meanwhile, Strahm’s 4.88 FIP is a full run higher than his ERA, suggesting he’s been fortunate to perform as he has. The downturn could be a mix of age-related decline (Strahm is now 34) and the knee injury. Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters today that Strahm has “been pitching through it all year” and that the inflammation flared up in the ninth inning of yesterday’s game. In any case, the club is hoping the knee inflammation is a minor issue and that Strahm can return with a minimal absence.

The Royals’ bullpen has been a Bottom-5 unit in the Majors in 2026. On the whole, the group has a 4.50 ERA and similar expected numbers in 154 innings, along with a 13.4% walk rate that tops only the Reds’ bullpen. Daniel Lynch IV has a standout 1.96 ERA, although he’s due for regression with just a .205 opposing average on balls in play. Closer Lucas Erceg has a 3.44 ERA but a troubling 15.8% walk rate. Nick Mears, John Schreiber, and Alex Lange have walk rates of 12.3% or higher and expected ERAs over 5.30.

The return of Falter probably won’t move the needle much. The 29-year-old lefty has been a starter since debuting in 2021 with the Phillies. His work from 2024-25 consists of 267 2/3 innings over 54 appearances (52 starts). Falter had a 4.44 ERA in that time, not striking out many hitters but posting better-than-average walk rates. Like Strahm, Falter has low-90s four-seam velocity, though there’s a chance it could play up in a relief role. At the very least, Falter will fill Strahm’s role as a lefty in middle relief until the latter returns from the IL.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images

Beyond those milestones, tomorrow will also mark Rodriguez’s first appearance in a Major League game since July 31, 2024.  Rodriguez had a 3.86 ERA, 26.5% strikeout rate, and 7.3% walk rate over 116 2/3 innings for the Orioles that season (his second MLB campaign) before discomfort in his right lat/teres area brought his year to an early end.  He then didn’t pitch a single inning in the majors or minors in 2025 due to a lat strain and multiple instances of elbow soreness, with the final result being an elbow debridement surgery last August.

Injuries notwithstanding, it was still surprising when the Orioles traded Rodriguez to the Angels last November in a one-for-one swap for Taylor Ward.  While Ward has been a valuable bat for Baltimore, he is a free agent this winter, whereas Rodriguez is a former top prospect who is controlled through 2029.  There’s plenty of upside for the Halos if Rodriguez can get healthy, though it obviously isn’t a great sign that his tenure in Orange County immediately began with an IL stint.

Yusei Kikuchi is still sidelined at least through May due to shoulder inflammation, but with Rodriguez now approaching his return, the Angels’ rotation is a step closer to its first-choice state.  Jose Soriano is enjoying a fantastic season, and Rodriguez will join Reid Detmers, Walbert Urena, and Jack Kochanowicz as the rest of the starting five.

The outlook isn’t quite as good for another Angels pitcher attempting to return after a long layoff.  According to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, Ben Joyce‘s rehab assignment has been slowed due to some discomfort in his surgically-repaired right shoulder.  An MRI came back clean, however, so it doesn’t appear as if Joyce is dealing with anything but normal soreness.

“We got a little flare-up….It’s just part of the process after a shoulder surgery,” Joyce said.  “Just kind of has ups and downs.  But we were pretty positive about the results.  Nothing structurally wrong, it’s just working through a little soreness right now.”

It was almost exactly a year ago that Joyce underwent the shoulder procedure that ended his 2025 campaign after five appearances.  Joyce began this season on the 15-day IL but will probably be moved to the 60-day IL the next time Los Angeles needs a 40-man roster spot, as he is already approaching 60 days on the sidelines.

11:55AM: The Red Sox are placing Trevor Story on the 10-day injured list prior to tonight’s game with the Braves, MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith reports.  Infielder Nick Sogard will be called up to replace Story on the active roster, as Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette first reported earlier today.

As noted by Smith and Chris Cotillo, Story has been dealing with a groin problem for a few weeks, dating back to Boston’s April 24-26 series with the Orioles.  Story was given a few off-days in the interim to see if some added rest could fix the problem, but the decision has been made to give the veteran at least 10 days to fully recover.

It’s probably a wise move given Story’s long injury history, and because this IL stint might serve as an unofficial reset to what has been a rough season for the 33-year-old.  Story is hitting only .206/.244/.303 over his first 176 plate appearances, translating to a brutal 47 wRC+.  Between the lack of offense and subpar metrics (-1 Defensive Runs Saved, -2 Outs Above Average) regarding his work at shortstop, Story has been playing at below replacement level, with -0.4 fWAR to show for his 41 games.

Story had a .585 OPS over his first 232 PA in 2025 and then an .827 OPS in his final 422 PA, so it is certainly possible he can again rebound from another slow start.  The Red Sox certainly hope Story can more to offer since he is only in the fifth guaranteed year of a six-year, $140MM free agent deal that has yet to deliver much in the way of results.

Andruw Monasterio, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, or Sogard (who is getting his first taste of MLB action this season) could all see some time at shortstop in Story’s absence.  The Red Sox could also possibly move Marcelo Mayer from second base over to his original shortstop position, though Mayer has yet to play anywhere but the keystone this season.

Crow heads back to Nashville after his second Major League start, as the Brewers have now twice called on the 25-year-old for spot duty this year.  Crow has looked quite impressive in delivering a 2.61 ERA over his first 10 1/3 MLB innings, with seven strikeouts against just one walk.  Milwaukee will surely call on Crow again before 2026 is over, though the righty may not get an extended look just yet because the Brewers are so deep in rotation options.

With Crow down on the farm, the Brewers will bring a fresh arm up to their bullpen and Strzelecki is in line for his first big league game since 2024.  Strzelecki broke into the majors with Milwaukee in 2022, and he has a 3.44 ERA, 24% strikeout rate, and 8.4% walk rate over 83 2/3 career innings with the Brewers, Diamondbacks, and Guardians from 2022-25

These okay but unspectacular numbers weren’t enough to keep the Guards from designing Strzelecki from assignment after the 2024 campaign, and Strzelecki’s lack of remaining minor league options surely also factored into Cleveland’s decision.  The righty struggled to an ugly 9.41 ERA over 22 Triple-A innings with the Pirates’ and Rays’ top affiliates in 2025, but after signing a minors deal with Milwaukee this past winter, Strzelecki has seemingly gotten on track with his former team.

Strzelecki has a 4.12 ERA, 24.7K%, and 4.9BB% over 19 2/3 innings in Nashville, and his 47.3% grounder rate is also much higher than his career norms.  The Brewers will give him a look in the majors to see if Strzelecki has potentially unlocked something at age 31, but his out-of-options status means that the righty could find himself designated for assignment again if the Crew need another roster slot.

Jackson’s time in the farm system has seen the righty post a 0.00 ERA over three innings at high-A St. Lucie, but then an 11.57 ERA over five games and 4 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse.  Those rough numbers included seven walks against only two strikeouts against Triple-A batters, so it isn’t surprising that New York hasn’t yet felt compelled to call Jackson up to the majors.  Even though the Mets are known for churning through relievers, selecting Jackson’s contract would also require a corresponding 40-man roster move.

A veteran of 10 Major League seasons, Jackson spent the majority (272 of his 409 1/3 career innings) with the Braves, posting a 3.97 ERA over his time in Atlanta’s bullpen.  His best season was in 2021, when Jackson’s 1.98 ERA over 63 2/3 relief innings made him one of many unsung heroes on the Braves’ World Series championship club.

As one might expect for a grounder specialist, Jackson’s performance has tended to wax and wane in relation to his BABIP.  Jackson’s control has always been spotty and his strikeout numbers have fluctuated rather sharply, and evened out at a 23.2% career strikeout rate.  The 2025 season saw Jackson post a 4.06 ERA, 17.4K%, 12.8% walk rate, and 51.7% grounder rate over 51 innings with the Rangers, Tigers, and Mariners, as a .253 BABIP helped Jackson overcome his shaky secondary metrics.

If Jackson doesn’t end up with the Mets and instead becomes a free agent, his track record means that he’ll probably land another minors contract relatively quickly.  The right-hander has played for six different organizations since July 2024, so Jackson is getting quite used to changing teams.

The A’s designated Perez for assignment on Thursday, ending a stint on the 40-man roster that began back in November when the Athletics added Perez in advance of the Rule 5 Draft.  That placement came on the heels of the .298/.412/.642 slash line that Perez posted over 182 Triple-A plate appearances in 2025.  Over the whole season at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Perez hit .231/.348/.473 with 26 home runs, and 27 steals out of 33 attempts.

This seeming breakout got Perez ranked as the 20th-best prospect in the Athletics’ farm system by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, yet his numbers fell back to earth this year.  He was hitting just .210/.273/.384 over 154 PA for Triple-A Las Vegas when the Athletics sent him to DFA limbo.

Perez has yet to make his big league debut, and he’ll now look for that opportunity in the Windy City.  While his bat remains a work in progress, Perez is known as an excellent defender who can handle all three outfield positions, and he has a good throwing arm and plus speed.  Perez has the tools to stick around as at least a bench option in the Show, but he’ll need to make some level of consistent and productive contact.

Nove is a University of Kentucky product who signed with the White Sox as a free agent after going undrafted in 2025.  The 23-year-old has some eye-popping numbers in his first pro season, as Nove has a 1.96 ERA, 59.5% grounder rate, and a 42.3% strikeout rate over 23 innings with A-level Kannapolis.

MAY 15: Mets right-hander Clay Holmes sustained a fractured right fibula in tonight’s 5-2 loss to the Yankees, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. Manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and others that Holmes will “be down for a long time.” He has not been placed on the injured list yet, though a move is inevitable given Mendoza’s comments.

Holmes sustained the injury in the top of the 4th inning. Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones hit a liner that deflected off Holmes’ right leg and resulted in an infield single (video courtesy of MLB.com). Holmes was visited by trainers after the play but remained in the game, eventually departing after 4 1/3 innings. He underwent X-rays after the game, which revealed the fracture.

The impending loss of Holmes is a massive blow to the Mets, who are already struggling en route to one of the worst records in baseball at 18-26. Holmes is arguably the Mets’ most important starting pitcher this side of Nolan McLean. Including tonight’s game, in which he allowed four earned runs, Holmes has an excellent 2.39 ERA in 52 2/3 innings this year. Although his strikeout rate is slightly below average, Holmes excels by keeping the ball on the ground. His 56.0% groundball rate puts him in the Top 10 of qualified starters and is on par with last year’s 55.8% figure. Losing that production for any amount of time would be devastating, even more so with Holmes figuring to be out for months rather than weeks.

As a whole, the Mets’ rotation has been middle-of-the-pack in 2026. The group’s 3.93 ERA entering play today ranked 11th in the Majors, while their 14.7% strikeout to walk differential ranked 10th. Meanwhile, the group’s 3.67 expected ERA ranks fifth in the league and suggests the Mets’ starters have been slightly unlucky in that performance. The rotation has also had to weather poor injury luck, as Kodai Senga (lumbar spine inflammation) has been down for two weeks and Justin Hagenman (rib fracture) has been on the injured list since Spring Training.

Obviously, the Mets’ rotation injuries don’t account for all of the team’s struggles. The offense has a terrible 85 wRC+ and is tied for second-worst in the Majors in that regard. In contrast, the bullpen is tied for fourth-best in the Majors with a 1.8 combined fWAR. As mentioned, the rotation is middle-of-the-pack, and that’s despite poor performances from David Peterson (8.10 ERA in five traditional starts) and Senga (9.00 ERA in five starts pre-injury). Overall, the pitching staff is the Mets’ strong suit amid their offensive struggles, making Holmes’ injury sting even more.

In Holmes’ absence, McLean, Peralta, and Christian Scott are the remaining starters. Peterson has provided bulk innings out of the ‘pen in his last two appearances and should remain in that role. If the Mets are comfortable having two spots for openers or bullpen games, they could use Sean Manaea as another bulk arm alongside Peterson. Manaea, who has been a starter for most of his career, threw between 41 and 74 pitches in all six of his relief appearances this April. He’s been used in short relief in May but could feasibly be stretched out to a larger workload again. If the team prefers a more traditional starter, No. 2 prospect Jonah Tong could be recalled from the minors.

Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images

Selected 37th overall by the Rays in the 2020 draft, Williams came to Pittsburgh in the June 2023 trade that brought Robert Stephenson to Tampa.  Williams made his MLB debut in a Pirates uniform later that year, and went onto hit .202/.257/.271 over 208 plate appearances for the Buccos over the 2023-24 seasons.  Pittsburgh designated Williams for assignment during the 2024-25 offseason and then outrighted him to Triple-A, where Williams hit an uninspiring .268/.329/.393 over 391 PA for Indianapolis during the 2025 campaign.

This year, Williams has hit .317/.385/.467 over 135 Triple-A plate appearances, representing one of the best offensive stretches of his pro career.  Despite this hot bat, the Pirates apparently didn’t want to select Williams’ contract back to the 26-man roster just to be a bench guy, as Konnor Griffin and Brandon Lowe are the starting middle infielders, and Nick Gonzales and Jared Triolo are being used at third base.

There’s more of an opportunity for Williams in Sacramento, as both Jacob Wilson and Max Muncy are on the Athletics’ 10-day injured list.  Williams could see time at shortstop when Darell Hernaiz isn’t at the position, and some second base at-bats could become available in Jeff McNeil‘s place when a left-hander is on the mound.

Stefanic signed a minor league deal with the A’s last winter, and his contract was selected in the wake of Wilson’s IL placement earlier this week.  After all of two games in an Athletics uniform, Stefanic’s tenure with the club may already be over, if he is claimed away on waivers or if he elects free agency over an outright assignment if he clears waivers.  Because Stefanic has been outrighted in the past, he now has the ability to reject any future outrights in favor of free agency, though he could opt to stay with the A’s if he feels he’ll get more big league opportunities down the road.

Though Stefanic has hit only .231/.315/.269 over 294 career PA with the Angels, Blue Jays, and Athletics, he had some posted some big numbers at Triple-A in the past.  Like Williams, Stefanic also has a wealth of experience at shortstop, second base, and third base, plus Stefanic has a handful of games as a first baseman and at both corner outfield positions.

Robinson is a 22-year-old righty who was an 11th-round pick for the A’s in the 2024 draft.  The Texas Tech product pitched at both the high-A and Double-A levels last season, but returned to high-A Lansing this year to post a 3.62 ERA, 16.7% strikeout rate, and 11.4% walk rate across 27 1/3 innings.  Robinson has started 27 of his 34 games as a professional, but he’ll need both miss more bats or improve his control to remain as any kind of a viable starter candidate.

Surgery is perhaps the natural endpoint to what has been an injury-marred nine months for a pitcher once known for his durability.  Right elbow inflammation sent Berrios to the 15-day injured list at the end of the 2025 season and kept him from participating in the Blue Jays’ postseason run.  As he prepared to pitch for Puerto Rico in this spring’s World Baseball Classic, tests revealed more inflammation and then a stress fracture in Berrios’ right elbow.

Toronto placed Berrios on the 15-day IL to begin the season, and he appeared to be on track before more elbow discomfort arose during his minor league rehab assignment.  Berrios had an MRI and a previous visit with Dr. Meister last week, and Schneider told reporters yesterday that surgery was now a possibility, as Berrios could be dealing with loose bodies in his elbow area.

It is possible that Berrios’ 2026 season could be over even if he is “only” dealing with loose bodies and the initial stress fracture, given how the recovery timeline for such procedures can vary greatly.  A best-case scenario probably has Berrios making his 2026 debut after the All-Star break, though anywhere from mid-July to mid-August is a realistic window.

If ligament damage is found, the question then becomes how much of Berrios’ 2027 season could be in jeopardy.  An internal brace procedure would put the right-hander in line to return by May or June of next season.  A full Tommy John surgery would require 13-15 months on the shelf, so any sort of setback within that rehab process could threaten Berrios’ ability to return before the 2027 season is out.

Turning first to contractual matters, Berrios has an opt-out clause in his contract that can be triggered this offseason, allowing him to walk away from the final two years and $48MM remaining on his seven-year, $131MM extension.  It already didn’t seem likely that Berrios would exercise that opt-out, and the fact that he’ll now miss most or even all of the 2026 campaign means that he’ll remain with the Jays beyond the season.

In the shorter term, Berrios’ continued absence (even for 2-3 more months) is more bad news for a Toronto rotation that has already been drastically thinned.  Shane Bieber is throwing to live batters but has yet to begin a minor league rehab assignment, and Max Scherzer has started throwing in the first steps of his recovery from forearm tendinitis.

These two veterans are probably a month away at best, but that still puts them ahead of several other Blue Jays pitchers.  Cody Ponce‘s season has been ended by a torn ACL, depth starter Bowden Francis‘ season is also over due to a Tommy John surgery, and swingman Lazaro Estrada has missed about a month due to a shoulder impingement.  Eric Lauer didn’t suffer a traditional injury but was hampered by a bad case of the flu, and he pitched so poorly that the Jays designated Lauer for assignment.

Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease have been the only stable members of the rotation, and Trey Yesavage only recently returned from a shoulder impingement of his own.  Patrick Corbin was signed to a one-year, $1MM contract in early April and he has a respectable 3.93 ERA while covering seven starts and 34 1/3 innings.  To find a fifth starter, the Jays may have to look outside the organization for at least another Corbin-esque addition, or dig further into their depth chart to either minor league signings (i.e. Josh Fleming) or pitchers with little to no MLB experience.

Rule 5 Draft pick Spencer Miles has pitched well in a relief role, and the Jays may be leaning towards stretching Miles out as a de facto fifth starter, even if Miles might work behind an opener or be used in a piggyback capacity.  Miles is pitching today behind opener Mason Fluharty.

On the bullpen front, Adam Macko is in Detroit today as a member of the Jays’ taxi squad, Schneider told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other media that Macko may be activated depending on the status of other relievers who aren’t 100 percent, so Macko could join the 26-man roster tomorrow as a fresh arm.  Macko will be making his MLB debut whenever he appears in his first game for Toronto.