Mets Sign Austin Slater, Designate Tommy Pham For Assignment
The Mets have agreed to sign outfielder Austin Slater, The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports. Slater’s signing comes shortly after news broke that outfielder Tommy Pham was designated for assignment, as per Mike Puma of the New York Post. It can assumed that Slater will take Pham’s spot on the active roster and 40-man roster, though New York still has only 39 players on the 40-man even with Slater’s arrival.
Slater is now on his third team in a little over a month’s time. The Tigers signed Slater to a minor league contract over the offseason, and after Slater triggered the first mandatory opt-out clause in that contract at the end of camp, Detroit released the veteran rather than add him to the Opening Day roster. Slater then quickly landed with the Marlins on a one-year, $1MM guarantee, but was designated for assignment after 12 games.
It was just earlier today that Slater cleared waivers and he elected to become a free agent. Because he has more than five years of MLB service time, Slater can keep the remainder of that $1MM salary, so the Mets might just be paying him a prorated big league minimum salary (which is subtracted from the $1MM total, with the Marlins covering the rest).
Slater hit only .174/.286/.174 over his 28 PA in a Miami uniform, though that is still better than Pham’s numbers in a similarly small sample size with the Mets. Assuming that the DFA will end Pham’s tenure in Queens, Pham will conclude his nine-game stint with zero hits and just a single walk over 14 plate appearances.
New York signed Pham to a minor league contract right at the start of the season and then selected him to the active roster on April 13. His long stay in free agency meant that the veteran didn’t get any sort of traditional Spring Training, though he got some ramp-up time in the Mets’ extended spring camp and five games of single-A ball with the team’s St. Lucie affiliate. While 14 PA isn’t a huge sample, it is safe to wonder if Pham simply wasn’t yet ready to face big league pitching, notwithstanding the fact that Pham has plenty of experience as a 13-year MLB veteran.
The selection to New York’s roster locked in a prorated $2.25MM salary for Pham in 2026. Another team would absorb the remainder of that salary if Pham is claimed off waivers, but the likelier scenario is that Pham goes unclaimed, leaving the Mets on the hook for the remaining money no matter what the next step is in Pham’s career.
He has more than enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, though it’s possible Pham might accept an outright just to get more playing time in the Mets’ farm system, with a handshake agreement in place to recall Pham once he is fully ramped up. However, the Slater signing probably means Pham’s time in New York is over, and he’ll be released if he isn’t claimed. A new team could then sign Pham to a contract and only owe him a minimum salary, which is subtracted from the Mets’ $2.25MM figure.
Pham and Slater are both right-handed hitting outfielders, and Slater has more of a reputation as a lefty-masher even though his numbers against southpaws have been average to mediocre over the last three seasons. Pham has also not been particularly productive since 2023 (a season that included his first stint with the Mets), as he hit .246/.317/.369 over 927 PA with the White Sox, Cardinals, Royals, and Pirates in 2024-25.
With 10 different teams on his big league resume, Pham might well land with team #11 in relatively short order, or perhaps revisit another of his former organizations. Slater spent his entire Major League career with the Giants before the team dealt him to the Reds in July 2024, and Slater has since also become a journeyman who has now played for six different clubs at the MLB level.
Slater should slide right into Pham’s role as the complement to the left-handed hitting Carson Benge, who has yet to get going at the plate in his rookie season. Benge’s struggles are just one drop in the bucket of calamity that has been the 2026 Mets’ season, as the team has sunk to a 9-19 record (tied with the Phillies for the worst in baseball) after being swept by Colorado in today’s doubleheader.
Yankees To Promote Jasson Dominguez
The Yankees are calling Jasson Dominguez back up to the big leagues, according to reporter Francys Romero. The move will be made official prior to tomorrow’s game with the Rangers.
Dominguez is already on the 40-man roster, and New York already has an opening on its 26-man roster since Luis Gil was optioned to Triple-A after his start today. Calling up Dominguez in Gil’s place, however, would leave the Bronx Bombers with only 12 pitchers on their active roster, so it seems more likely that another pitcher will be summoned tomorrow as a fresh arm for the bullpen.
To balance out the position-player side, it may be that Dominguez’s return is related to the calf injury that has sidelined Giancarlo Stanton for the last two games. Stanton left Friday’s game due to tightness in his right calf, and given the slugger’s long history of leg injuries, the Yankees could place Stanton on the 10-day injured list in at least a precautionary move.
All 23 of Stanton’s appearances this season have been as a designated hitter, so if Stanton is indeed heading to the IL, the Yankees now have the flexibility to rotate multiple players through the DH spot. Dominguez might well take some of those at-bats himself, or he could play in the outfield while any of Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, or Trent Grisham are given a partial rest day.
Dominguez burst into the majors with four homers and a .258/.303/.677 slash line over 33 plate appearances when he debuted near the end of the 2023 season. It seemed like “the Martian” was on his way to living up the hype associated with his status as one of baseball’s top prospects, but he underwent a Tommy John surgery just eight games into his big league tenure. The TJ rehab and an oblique strain limited him to 58 minor league games and 18 MLB games in 2024, and Dominguez then hit .257/.331/.388 with 10 home runs over 429 PA for New York in 2025.
It was a decent but unspectacular first full season for Dominguez, as his offensive numbers translated to a 103 wRC+. He struck out 115 times in his 429 PA, however, and made plenty of hard contact but had trouble consistently keeping the ball in the air. Dominguez’s biggest struggles came on defense, as he had -7 Defensive Runs Saved and -9 Outs Above Average over his 793 innings in left field.
Dominguez has reduced his strikeout rate to 15.2% over 99 Triple-A plate appearances this year, while hitting .306/.404/.471 with three homers for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Still, Dominguez doesn’t have anything left to prove in the minors at this point, as the question is now whether or not he can be a productive big leaguer.
It certainly isn’t too late for Dominguez given that he is still only 23 years old, but the crowded state of the Yankees’ outfield and Stanton’s presence as the regular DH left the Martian without a 26-man roster spot on Opening Day. The fact that New York re-signed Bellinger last winter was another sign that the club still had reservations about giving Dominguez more regular playing time in 2026.
Yankees Option Luis Gil To Triple-A
The Yankees announced that Luis Gil was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following the right-hander’s tough start against the Astros today. No corresponding move was announced, but the Yankees will likely call up another pitcher prior to tomorrow’s game with the Rangers.
Gil didn’t record a strikeout over four innings pitched today, allowing six earned runs on five hits and three walks. Two-run homers from Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker accounted for most of the damage in what wound up as a 7-4 Houston victory, and Gil has now allowed six home runs in only 19 1/3 innings this season.
Gil didn’t make his 2026 debut until April 10, as the Yankees kept him in Triple-A since multiple off-days in the early portion of the schedule left the team without any need for a fifth starter. In four starts since his return to the Show, Gil has a 6.05 ERA and more walks (11) than strikeouts (9), in addition to his problems in keeping the ball in the yard.
After winning AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, a right lat strain sidelined Gil for most of last season, though he returned in August to post a 3.32 ERA over 11 starts and 57 innings. Gil achieved that solid ERA despite a host of subpar secondary metrics, and his struggles have now carried over into 2026.
It’s clear that something isn’t quite right with Gil, so he’ll return to Triple-A to try and work out the kinks before his next call up to the Show. What remains to be seen, however, is when that next opportunity could come, as Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole are both making strides in their rehab assignments. Rodon is expected to need two more rehab starts, so he could be back in New York’s rotation within the next two weeks. Cole is still probably a month or so away from his return from Tommy John surgery.
Once Cole and Rodon are back, they’ll join Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Will Warren, and perhaps Ryan Weathers within what looks to be one of baseball’s top rotation. Weathers could be the odd man out and moved into long relief duty even though he has pitched well, but the Yankees could also deploy a six-man rotation or use Weathers as a spot starter or piggyback starter in order to manage everyone’s innings. Since this is Schlittler’s first full MLB season and Cole and Rodon are both returning from injury, the Yankees will be creative in finding ways to keep everyone fresh for what the club hopes is a deep playoff run.
In the short term, the Yankees’ upcoming off-day on Thursday means the club could skip Gil’s turn in the rotation without the need for a replacement starter. Beginning Friday, however, New York plays 13 games in 13 days, so the Yankees will need to fill at least one start before Rodon is perhaps ready for his season debut. The Yankees could consider a bullpen game, or top prospect Elmer Rodriguez might be given his first taste of big league action.
Angels Designate Jordan Romano For Assignment, Select Joey Lucchesi
The Angels announced a series of moves before Sunday’s matchup against the Royals, the most notable of which was designating closer Jordan Romano for assignment. The club selected left-hander Joey Lucchesi to take his spot. Right-hander Shaun Anderson was also designated for assignment, and righty Jose Fermin was recalled. On the hitting side, catcher Logan O’Hoppe was placed on the 10-day IL with a fractured wrist. Sebastian Rivero had his contract selected to replace O’Hoppe.
Injuries to Ben Joyce, Robert Stephenson, and Kirby Yates thrust Romano into the closer role to begin the year. He initially excelled as the preferred 9th inning option, picking up four saves over six scoreless appearances to open the campaign. Romano permitted just two baserunners during that stretch, both coming via walk.
The wheels came off from there. Romano had a disastrous series against the Yankees that included five earned runs, two blown saves, and only one out recorded. He briefly recovered in two lower-leverage outings, then blew up for four earned runs in a blowout against the Royals on Saturday. Romano was pulled mid-inning for infielder Adam Frazier.
Romano emerged as one of the top closers in the game with the Blue Jays. He piled up 95 saves from 2021 to 2023, earning a pair of All-Star selections. Elbow injuries ruined his 2024 season, and he’s never been the same since then. Romano had an 8.23 ERA for the Phillies last year. He came to the Angels on a modest one-year, $2MM deal. His time with the team is over after just eight innings.
Lucchesi joined the organization in late March after getting released by the Giants. He ended up breaking camp with the Angels. The veteran lefty allowed a pair of earned runs over three appearances. He walked four and struck out two across 2 1/3 innings. Lucchesi was designated for assignment and elected free agency in early April, but returned to the organization on a minor league deal.
Fermin was up and down with the big league club for the majority of 2025. He put together a mid-4.00s ERA with a solid 25.7% strikeout rate across 40 appearances. Fermin has a big fastball, but control has been an issue. The righty posted a hefty 15.1% walk rate in 34 1/3 innings.
Anderson was knocked around for 11 earned runs in nine appearances out of the bullpen. The 31-year-old was similarly ineffective during his time with the club last year. He did not break camp with the team, but was in the majors before the end of March. Lucchesi will likely step into Anderson’s multi-inning role.
O’Hoppe was pulled from Saturday’s contest due to what was initially described as wrist irritation. He took a foul tip off the wrist in the seventh inning, but did stay in to finish the frame. Travis d’Arnaud replaced him in the eighth inning. The veteran d’Arnaud will likely assume the majority of the reps behind the plate, with Rivero backing him up.
Rivero appeared in 11 games for the Angels last season. He’s hit .172 in 107 MLB plate appearances. Before his brief stint with Los Angeles in 2025, Rivero hadn’t been in the big leagues since 2022 with the Royals. Kansas City signed him as an international free agent in 2015. After a slow ascent through the system, he reached the majors as a 22-year-old in 2021. Rivero hasn’t been even a league-average bat since his Rookie ball days, but he’s earned passable marks as a defender in his time as a big leaguer.
Photo courtesy of William Liang, Imagn Images
Diamondbacks Select Jesus Valdez
The Diamondbacks have selected infielder Jesus Valdez to the big league roster, per a team announcement. He’s been optioned to Double-A. Valdez will serve as the club’s 27th man for today’s game against the Padres. If he makes it into the game, it will be his big-league debut.
Arizona and San Diego were permitted to add an extra man for the Mexico City series, but it had to be a position player. After initially declining to make an addition to the roster, the Diamondbacks made the move for the second game of the series. An injury to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo led to the decision, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Perdomo went down with an ankle injury yesterday. The issue isn’t expected to require an IL stint, Piecoro relayed in a separate post.
Valdez was signed by the Dodgers out of the Dominican Republic in 2017. He was dealt to the Pirates the following year for David Freese. The infielder had some offensive success in the lower levels of the minors, but was released by Double-A Altoona after a brief stint in 2021. He latched on with the Diamondbacks on a minor league agreement in 2022.
The 28-year-old Valdez has posted modest numbers in the upper levels of Arizona’s system. He has an identical .706 OPS for his career at Double-A (116 games) and Triple-A (47 games). Valdez has scuffled to a .211/.375/.263 line in seven minor league games this year.
Photo courtesy of Matt Kartozian, Imagn Images
Cubs Select Yacksel Rios, Designate Vince Velasquez For Assignment
In a series of moves relayed by Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network, the Cubs are expected to select right-hander Yacksel Rios and recall lefty Charlie Barnes. Righty Vince Velasquez will be designated for assignment. Left-hander Riley Martin is heading to the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 24) with elbow inflammation. The team has officially announced the moves.
Velasquez’s minor league contract was only just selected on Friday, and he pitched well in what end up being his only appearance in a Chicago uniform. The right-hander allowed one hit over 2 1/3 shutout innings against the Dodgers in Velasquez’s first MLB outing since the 2023 season, when he was with the Pirates.
Elbow surgery sidelined Velasquez for the entire 2024 campaign, and his 2025 season saw him pitch both in the KBO League with the Lotte Giants and with the Guardians’ Triple-A club. Cleveland designated Velasquez for assignment and outrighted him off its 40-man roster last year, so that past outright means that Velasquez can opt for free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment from the Cubs if he clears waivers.
Velasquez could opt to stick around at Triple-A Iowa if for no other reason than the Cubs’ seemingly endless list of pitching injuries might allow him a relatively quick return to the Show. Chicago has eight relievers and 11 pitchers overall on the 15- or 60-day IL now that Martin has been sidelined.
Martin last pitched on Thursday, when he threw a scoreless inning in the Cubs’ 8-7 win over the Phillies. The rookie southpaw been quite impressive since making his Major League debut in early April, as Martin has a 2.16 ERA, 32.3% strikeout rate, and 6.5% walk rate over his first 8 1/3 innings and eight games as a big leaguer. A .222 BABIP has helped Martin avoid damage from a lot of the hard contact he has surrendered, but his 2.53 SIERA indicates that he has pitched well beyond that good fortune.
With Martin sidelined and Velasquez in DFA limbo, Rios and Barnes join the active roster as a pair of fresh arms for the beleaguered pen. This is Barnes’ second stint on the 26-man since his contract was initially selected earlier this month, and Barnes pitched in one game (allowing three earned runs in three innings) before being optioned to Triple-A.
Rios came to the organization on a minor league deal in January. The righty last appeared in the big leagues with the Athletics in 2023. He’s been in the Mets’ minor league system for the past two seasons. Rios has just over three years of MLB service time to his name. He’s spent parts of six big-league seasons with the Phillies, Pirates, Mariners, Red Sox, and A’s.
The 32-year-old Rios has a 6.32 career ERA and a checkered injury history. He was off to an uninspiring start to the Triple-A season, posting a 5.06 ERA across seven appearances with Iowa. Rios missed most of 2025 due to health issues. He delivered a solid minor league campaign in 2024, recording a 3.30 ERA with a strikeout per inning for Triple-A Syracuse.
Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images
Athletics Designate Andy Ibanez For Assignment, Reinstate Brent Rooker
Outfielder Brent Rooker is back with the Athletics after missing a little over two weeks with an oblique strain. The club has designated infielder Andy Ibanez for assignment to clear a roster spot for Rooker, per a team announcement. Rooker is batting fourth as the DH today against the Rangers.
The Dodgers gave Ibanez a one-year, $1.2MM deal in January. They tried to get him through waivers in February, but the A’s swooped in and claimed him. It was a reasonable move considering Ibanez’s solid production as a platoon bat in recent years with the Tigers. The veteran struggled in his brief time with the club, though. Ibanez hit just .118 in 11 games. He spent time at every infield position except shortstop.
After a couple of seasons with the Rangers, Ibanez came to the Tigers via waiver claim heading into 2023. He earned semi-regular work for the first time as a big leaguer, delivering a 103 wRC+ across 383 plate appearances. Ibanez’s numbers tailed off the following season, though not against lefties. The righty swinger posted a .802 OPS vs. southpaws in 2024. Detroit leaned harder into the platoon approach last year, limiting Ibanez to just 52 at-bats against righties. He slashed a respectable .258/.311/.403 in 124 ABs against lefties.
The A’s got the memo about Ibanez’s splits. It just didn’t work out for them in a tiny sample. The infielder went 2-for-16 against lefties. Ibanez was 0-for-1 with a walk in his scant chances against righties. The club was able to take advantage of the veteran’s defensive versatility, as he drew starts at first, second, and third base. Ibanez has been a plus defender by Defensive Runs Saved at all four infield spots for his career.
With Ibanez DFAed, the A’s will have five days to trade him or put him on waivers. He could be attractive to a team hunting for infield depth, though the price tag is a bit higher than a typical waiver claim. If he makes it through waivers, the A’s could look to stash him in the minors, if he permits it. Ibanez has been outrighted in his career, so he has the right to reject a minor league assignment and opt for free agency.
Photo courtesy of Scott Marshall, Imagn Images
Orioles Designate Albert Suarez For Assignment
The Orioles have designated right-hander Albert Suarez for assignment, the team announced. Closer Ryan Helsley has been reinstated from the bereavement list to take Suarez’s roster spot.
Suarez tossed a season-high 59 pitches in mop-up duty behind an ineffective Trevor Rogers on Saturday. He permitted four runs, but all of them were unearned thanks to errors by Adley Rutschman and Jeremiah Jackson. Suarez has provided reliable swingman work for the club over the past three seasons. Baltimore is likely hoping to sneak him through waivers and retain him as Triple-A depth. The club’s 40-man roster is down to 38 players following the move.
Baltimore brought Suarez back on a minor league deal in the winter. With Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt added to the rotation, plus a healthy Tyler Wells penciled in for long relief work, Suarez didn’t have a clear path to the big-league roster. A 7.59 ERA in MLB Spring Training didn’t help matters. An injury to Zach Eflin shortly into the regular season gave Suarez an opportunity before he could even make a minor league appearance.
The 36-year-old righty picked up a three-inning save in his return to the big leagues. Suarez has delivered a 3.46 ERA across 13 innings this year. He has nearly as many walks (5) as strikeouts (6), but has been able to skirt damage thanks to a .179 batting average on balls in play. Suarez doesn’t possess elite stuff, and his underlying metrics have typically lagged behind his actual production, but he’s posted a 3.58 ERA over 158 1/3 innings in Baltimore since debuting with the team in 2024.
The Orioles now have five days to trade Suarez or place him on outright waivers. If he makes it through waivers, he could head back to Triple-A Norfolk. Suarez has been outrighted in the past, so he could choose to forego the minor league assignment and test free agency.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
Austin Slater Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency
April 26: Slater has cleared waivers and elected free agency, per Mish.
April 23rd: The Marlins made the Slater and Ruiz moves official today.
April 22nd: The Marlins are designating veteran outfielder Austin Slater for assignment, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid. Esteury Ruiz has played four Triple-A games on a minor league rehab stint and will be activated for Friday’s series opener in San Francisco. Miami’s 40-man roster count will drop to 39.
Slater signed a $1MM free agent contract at the end of Spring Training. He had been in camp on a minor league deal with Detroit but didn’t crack their roster. The Fish wanted a righty-hitting platoon outfielder with Ruiz shelved by an oblique strain and starting left fielder Kyle Stowers down with a hamstring strain. Stowers returned over the weekend, and Ruiz’s forthcoming return pushes Slater off the roster.
It wasn’t a great showing for the 33-year-old Slater. He played in 12 games and collected just four hits, all of them singles. He took four walks but struck out nine times in 28 plate appearances. Slater has pinch hit a few times but hasn’t been in Clayton McCullough’s starting lineup since April 12. Heriberto Hernández gets some work as a righty-hitting left fielder. Utilityman Javier Sanoja can also play out there.
Ruiz, an offseason trade pickup from the Dodgers, adds a speed element off the bench. He hasn’t hit much in the big leagues but raked in Triple-A last year. Ruiz stole 67 bases for the A’s back in 2023, his only full season at the MLB level.
Miami has five days to trade Slater or place him on waivers. He has sufficient service time to decline an outright assignment and seems likely to be released.
Sam Huff Clears Waivers, Elects Free Agency
April 26: Huff is back with Baltimore on a minor league deal, per his MLB transactions tracker. Roch Kubatko of MASN first reported the possibility of Huff returning to the organization.
April 25: Huff has cleared waivers and elected free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment, per Jake Rill of MLB.com.
April 21: The Orioles announced Tuesday that catcher Sam Huff has been designated for assignment. His roster spot will go to catcher Adley Rutschman, who’s returning from a brief stay on the 10-day injured list due to a minor ankle injury.
Huff was just selected to the big league roster last week. He appeared in three games with Baltimore, going 2-for-9 with a double, an RBI and five strikeouts in nine plate appearances. With Rutschman back from the injured list, however, the O’s can turn catching duties back over to their Opening Day tandem of Rutschman and prospect Samuel Basallo.
Huff, 28, signed a minor league deal with the O’s in January. The former Rangers top prospect has now played in parts of six big league seasons and slashed a respectable .246/.299/.427 with a dozen homers in 281 trips to the batter’s box. That’s roughly league-average offense, by measure of wRC+, and more than 10% better than the standard catcher. However, Huff’s output has come in spite of a colossal 36.3% strikeout rate. He’s needed a .354 average on balls in play just to get to league-average with the bat. As such, he’s highly unlikely to sustain his current pace.
On the defensive side of things, Huff has solid framing grades in his limited major league work. He’s struggled with blocking balls in the dirt and controlling the run game. The former seventh-round pick has just an 18.5% caught-stealing rate in his career and has been charged with eight passed balls in 527 innings behind the dish.
Baltimore will have five days to trade Huff or place him on outright waivers. (The latter seems likelier.) Waivers would be another 48-hour process, so the outcome of today’s DFA will be known within a week. If he clears waivers, Huff could be assigned outright to Triple-A Norfolk, where he hit .156/.250/.168 in 36 plate appearances before being summoned to the big leagues. However, since he’s previously been outrighted in the past, he’d have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency.