The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Ford on the way?

Top prospect Harry Ford traveled with the Mariners to Texas for their series against the Rangers and could be in line to make his major league debut this weekend, per Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. As Daniel Kramer of MLB.com notes, Ford was scratched from the Triple-A Tacoma lineup yesterday after veteran catcher Mitch Garver left yesterday’s game when a foul tip struck his chin/neck area. Garver is slated to undergo further evaluation today, and if he requires a trip to the injured list Seattle is expected to select Ford’s contract to serve as the backup to Cal Raleigh. Ford, the 12th overall pick in the 2021 draft, is not yet on the 40-man roster. The Mariners have an open spot after Rowdy Tellez was designated for assignment earlier this week, however, and would not need to make a corresponding move beyond placing Garver on the IL. Through 60 games at Triple-A this year, Ford is hitting .311/.426/.469 (135 wRC+) with eight home runs, a huge 15.5% walk rate and just a 17% strikeout rate.

2. Eovaldi to return:

While Ford’s status for the upcoming series between the Mariners and Rangers is up in the air, there’s one roster addition in the series that’s more or less assured at this point: right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been announced as today’s probable starter for the Rangers after a month spent on the injured list due to triceps inflammation. The veteran right-hander was in the midst of a Cy Young-caliber season when he hit the shelf due to injury, with a 1.56 ERA and 2.32 FIP across 12 starts. He’ll try to pick up where he left off at 7:05pm local time in Dallas against Seattle ace Logan Gilbert, who recently returned from the injured list himself and has a 3.12 ERA in eight starts this year.

3. Mets roster moves incoming?

The Mets lost a key piece of their rotation yesterday when right-hander Griffin Canning suffered what is believed to be an Achilles injury. Will Sammon of The Athletic writes that righty Blade Tidwell, one of the club’s top pitching prospects, is expected to join the Mets in Pittsburgh for this weekend’s series. An off-day on the schedule for Monday means a fifth starter won’t be needed for some time, so it’s not a guarantee that Tidwell is going to slot into the rotation in Canning’s place. Sammon also suggests that there could be additional roster moves on the way beyond the anticipated swap of Canning for Tidwell. Right-handers Justin Garza, Tyler Zuber, and Chris Devenski are among the pure relief options already on the 40-man roster who the Mets could use to freshen up their bullpen after they covered 7 1/3 innings following Canning’s early exit last night.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Kershaw on the cusp of 3,000 strikeouts:

Three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw is a future Hall of Famer and one of the greatest pitchers of his generation. He’s now seven starts into his 2025 campaign, and in that time he’s pitched to a 3.31 ERA in 32 2/3 innings of work despite a strikeout rate of just 17.6%. That low strikeout rate has become the norm for the 37-year-old in recent years, but it hasn’t stopped him from challenging for one of the most coveted milestones for a starting pitcher. The southpaw currently sits at 2,992 strikeouts for his career, meaning that he’s just eight away from becoming the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000. With a vintage performance against the Rockies at Coors Field later today, he’d have the opportunity to add that milestone to his legacy. Kershaw and Rockies southpaw Austin Gomber (8.38 ERA in two starts) are scheduled to take the mound at 1:10pm local time this afternoon. Kershaw hasn’t topped seven strikeouts in a start this season, but the Rockies’ 27.5% team strikeout rate against lefties is the second-highest mark in MLB.

2. Tigers 40-man move incoming:

Earlier this week, it was reported that the Tigers would be adding southpaw Dietrich Enns to the roster ahead of today’s game. The 34-year-old last appeared in the majors in 2021, when he posted a 2.82 ERA in 22 1/3 frames for the Rays. He has a 2.89 ERA in 14 Triple-A starts for the Toledo Mud Hens this year after signing a minor league deal with the Tigers in the offseason, and now he’ll get the opportunity to face the A’s and southpaw Jeffrey Springs (4.24 ERA) at 1:10pm local time in Detroit. Before that can happen, the Tigers will need to make a corresponding move to create 40-man roster space. That could come by way of an injured player heading to the 60-day injured list or Detroit brass working out a trade, but since Detroit doesn’t have an obvious 60-day IL candidate, the most likely outcome is a player being designated for assignment.

3. Imanaga to return:

It’s been almost two months since southpaw Shota Imanaga went down with a hamstring strain, and while the Cubs have managed to go 26-19 without his help in the rotation, the cracks have begun to show in recent weeks. While Matthew Boyd has pitched like a front-of-the-rotation arm in his first healthy season in half a decade and Cade Horton has done admirable work in his rookie campaign so far, the rest of the rotation has scuffled.

Ben Brown was recently optioned after getting torched to a 7.65 ERA across his last seven starts. Colin Rea has a 5.92 ERA in nine starts since Imanaga went down. Even typically steady veteran Jameson Taillon has a 5.86 ERA in June after back-to-back blow up starts. Imanaga, who had a 2.82 ERA in eight starts this year before going on the injured list, will look to help stop the bleeding in the rotation and turn the Cubs’ rotation around. His first opportunity to do so will come against the Cardinals and right-hander Andre Pallante (4.48 ERA) later today in a game scheduled for 1:15pm local time.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Scherzer to be activated:

Veteran right-hander Max Scherzer is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list today. Scherzer made just one start for Toronto before going on the shelf due to a nagging thumb issue. For a Blue Jays team in clear need of starting pitching reinforcements, Scherzer’s return should be reason for optimism, given his Hall of Fame caliber resume and career 3.16 ERA. Scherzer will need to be re-added to the 40-man roster once activated. The Jays opened a spot when Erik Swanson was released earlier this week but then acquired Robinson Pina yesterday. Scherzer is scheduled to take the mound in Cleveland against right-hander Gavin Williams (3.58 ERA) at 6:40pm local time.

2. Zach Neto to undergo MRI:

The Angels are facing a potential injury scare today after shortstop Zach Neto was removed from yesterday’s game. Neto told reporters (including Jack Janes of The Sporting Tribune) last night that he’s dealing with some “soreness” in his shoulder after sliding into second base on an attempted steal and that he will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue. The 24-year-old added that he isn’t concerned about his shoulder and is just being cautious after undergoing shoulder surgery back in November. Scott Kingery took over the position after Neto departed the game and could be in line for reps at shortstop if Neto misses time. In 262 plate appearances this season, Neto is batting .278/.321/.494 (125 wRC+) with a dozen homers and 13 stolen bases.

3. Pitchers’ duel in the NL Central:

A battle of exciting young pitching talents is scheduled to take place tonight in Milwaukee, as top Brewers prospect Jacob Misiorowski will take the mound for his third career start after posting a 1.64 ERA with a 28.9% strikeout rate (and a less-appealing 13.2% walk rate) across 11 innings in his first two appearances. Misiorowski’s opponent will be Pirates ace Paul Skenes, the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, a finalist for the 2024 NL Cy Young Award, and an early frontrunner for the Cy Young this season. Skenes has pitched to a phenomenal 1.85 ERA in 16 starts across 102 innings of work this year, striking out 27.2% of his opponents against a 6.9% walk rate. He’s allowed only five home runs (0.44 HR/9). The two young flamethrowers will face off at 1:10pm local time this afternoon.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Chase Burns to make MLB debut:

It’s a big day for fans of the Reds, as top pitching prospect and second overall pick in last year’s draft Chase Burns is set to make his major league debut today. He’ll take the mound at Great American Ball Park against Yankees southpaw Carlos Rodon (3.10 ERA) in a game scheduled for 7:10pm local time. Burns has been sensational through 13 starts across three levels of the minors this year, combining for a 1.77 ERA and 36.8% strikeout rate in 66 innings. Even when zeroing in on just his two starts at Triple-A, Burns has been quite impressive with a 2.19 ERA and 30.4% strikeout rate in 12 1/3 innings of work. His rapid ascent through the minors and dominance at every level has made it clear he’s ready for the challenge of the big leagues, though the Yankees are a tough first assignment given that they lead the AL in runs scored and wRC+.

2. Simpson to return:

One of the sport’s fastest players is headed back to the majors. As noted by Adam Berry of MLB.com, the Rays are poised to recall Chandler Simpson from the minors today to take over center field duties from the recently-optioned Kameron Misner. Simpson stole a whopping 19 bases in just 35 games (22 attempts) and batted .285/.315/.317 (85 wRC+) during his first stint in the majors earlier this year. In conjunction with some lackluster defense in center field, that lack of power and paltry 4.5% walk rate resulted in Simpson returning to the minors at the beginning of June. Since then, he’s hit a robust .366/.416/.465 at the Triple-A level. He’ll get another opportunity as the Rays face the Royals at Kauffman Stadium tonight, where he’ll be tested by southpaw Kris Bubic (2.12 ERA).

3. MLBTR Chat today:

With just over a month to go until the July 31 trade deadline, chatter about trade season has already begun in earnest. While it will be difficult for another in-season blockbuster to top the Devers deal from earlier this month, a handful of smaller deals have started to come together around the league as well. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Athletics groundbreaking ceremony in Las Vegas:

The A’s are scheduled to finally break ground on their planned ballpark in Las Vegas this morning, nine months after they played their final game in Oakland. The ceremony is scheduled for 8am local time. According to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review Journal, the ceremony will feature an appearance from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred in addition to a number of local- and state-level government officials. Akers suggests that they’ll be joined by A’s ownership, executives, and alumni at the event. The A’s have today off, but with a game scheduled for tomorrow evening in Detroit it’s unlikely that any current players will make appearances at the ceremony.

2. Orioles examining catcher following collision:

The very same day Adley Rutschman was placed on the injured list due to an oblique strain, the Orioles may have lost another catcher when backup Maverick Handley collided with Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. as Chisholm attempted to score. As noted by MLB.com’s Jake Rill, O’s manager Tony Mansolino told reporters after the game that Handley’s “full body” was being evaluated and that placing the 27-year-old in the concussion protocol had not been ruled out. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Handley ended up needing a trip to the injured list, at which point Baltimore would need to make a 40-man roster move to bring up a depth catcher like David Banuelos or Chadwick Tromp.

3. Series Preview: Cubs @ Cardinals

One of the league’s most storied rivalries has yet to face off in 2025, but that changes tonight when the Cubs take the field in St. Louis against the Cardinals in a game scheduled for 6:45pm local time. St. Louis is currently 4.5 games back of Chicago for the NL Central lead, meaning a sweep of this four-game set could but them within spitting distance of the division lead. It would likely put them in playoff position as well, given that they’re just one game back in the NL Wild Card race. As for the Cubs, a strong showing in this series could help them turn things around after a middling stretch of play that’s seen them go 7-8 over their past 15 games.

Right-hander Ben Brown (5.57 ERA) will face off against southpaw Matthew Liberatore (4.08 ERA) in tonight’s game. Cubs veteran Jameson Taillon (3.84 ERA) is the only other announced starter for the series, but The Athletic’s Katie Woo and Sahadev Sharma write that right-hander Michael McGreevy (2.70 ERA in 3 appearances) and southpaw Shota Imanaga (2.82 ERA in eight starts) are expected to take the mound during the series at some point as well.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Tatis undergoing imaging:

Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch on his hand during last night’s game against the Dodgers, which resulted in a benches-clearing skirmish. Tatis was sent for x-rays after the game, which produced inconclusive results (via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune). Tatis told reporters (including Acee) that there was a “gray area” in the results and that he was set to undergo additional imaging. The 26-year-old sports a 131 wRC+ overall this year but has been mired in a lengthy slump in recent weeks, slashing just .214/.325/.291 over his past 27 games. An injury for Tatis would only further exacerbate the Padres’ need for outfield help, as they’d likely wind up relying on some combination of Tyler Wade and Tirso Ornelas to help cover if Tatis misses time.

2. Suárez nearing milestone:

Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez is nearing what would be his first career trip into free agency this winter, but in the meantime the slugger is enjoying a strong season at the plate. He’s slashed .237/.313/.533 with a 130 wRC+ so far this year for Arizona, slugging 22 homers in just 74 games. That puts him at 298 career homers overall, leaving him just two long balls away from becoming the 164th player in history to launch 300 home runs during his career. It’s an exciting milestone that could be right around the corner: Suárez has 18 multi-homer games in his career, including two this season.

The slugger will attempt to reach the 300-homer plateau in favorable conditions this weekend as the Snakes head to Colorado for a weekend series at Coors Field. The D-backs will face lefty Austin Gomber, lefty Carson Palmquist and righty Antonio Senzatela this weekend. Squaring off against two lefties should be favorable for the righty-swinging Suárez, but he uncharacteristically has severe reverse splits in 2025 despite having hit lefties far better than righties over the course of his career overall.

3. Devers reunited with Red Sox in San Francisco:

An awkward reunion is in the cards for this weekend, as the Red Sox are headed to San Francisco less than a week after trading franchise face Rafael Devers to the Giants. Devers, who has gone 2-for-8 with a double and a walk so far as a Giant, has agreed to play first base for his new club after declining to do so in Boston. He’s only appeared at DH in three games with the team so far but has suggested he could be in the lineup at first base as soon as this weekend. The first game of this weekend set is scheduled for 7:15pm local time and will feature a face off between youngsters Hunter Dobbins (3.74 ERA) and Hayden Birdsong (2.79 ERA).

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Doubleheaders in the Midwest:

A trio of games got canceled due to inclement weather yesterday, and while the Cubs/Brewers matchup was rescheduled for a date in August, the other two contests are set to be made up as part of doubleheaders today. The Pirates and Tigers will make up their missed game as part of a split doubleheader that will feature Tarik Skubal in Game 1 (opposite Andrew Heaney) and Paul Skenes in Game 2 (opposite an unannounced Tigers starter). As noted by Jason Beck of MLB.com, tickets for yesterday’s game (which would have featured Skubal) will be valid for Game 2 (which will feature Skenes). Meanwhile, tickets for today’s regularly scheduled game will be valid for Game 1. Fans who had tickets for yesterday’s game and are unable to attend Game 2 can exchange their tickets for another game of equal value this season.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals and White Sox had their game in Chicago canceled last night. It’ll be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader that will feature former White Sox righty Erick Fedde on the mound for St. Louis against Sox youngster Sean Burke. Rule 5 Pick Mike Vasil will start Game 2 for Chicago opposite Cardinals prospect Michael McGreevy. According to Scott Merkin of MLB.com, fans with tickets to yesterday’s game will receive a credit to their account while fans with tickets to today’s game will be welcome to watch both games this afternoon.

2. Mets lose six in a row:

The Mets have fallen into a funk lately, losing six straight contests. The club now sits half a game behind the Dodgers and Cubs in the standings, meaning that if the season ended today they’d fail to secure a bye through the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Even more concerning is the fact that the Phillies are hot on their heels in the NL East race, lurking just one game behind New York in the standings.

The Mets will look to turn things around during tonight’s game, where they’ll face Braves righty Spencer Strider. Strider’s sporting an uncharacteristic 4.35 ERA through six starts this year, though he looked more like his typical Cy Young-caliber self last time out when he punched out 13 Rockies across six scoreless frames. The Mets will send Clay Holmes (2.87 ERA) to the mound for his 15th start of the season to counter Strider.

3. Twins slip out of playoff position amid skid:

Meanwhile in the AL, the Twins are in the midst of their own six-game losing streak. Minnesota was holding onto the second of three AL Wild Card spots just last week, but this recent skid has knocked them out of the playoff picture entirely. They now sit 1.5 games out of a playoff spot with a lackluster 36-37 record. They’re set to face off against the Reds in Cincinnati this afternoon, when right-hander Chris Paddack will attempt to turn things around for Minnesota. Paddack has a pedestrian 4.30 ERA in 14 starts this year and allowed eight runs to score in four innings against the Astros last time out, though only one of those runs was earned. He’ll face veteran hurler Nick Martinez (3.92 ERA) in today’s contest.

Here are four things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Yankees offense goes cold:

It’s been a tough few days in the Bronx, as the Yankees have lost five straight after getting swept by the Red Sox over the weekend. The culprit of this recent dry spell is clearly the offense, as New York has been shut out in each of its last three games with 29 consecutive scoreless innings. Virtually the entire team has been cold; Jazz Chisholm Jr. is the only player with more than three hits during this five-game stretch, and even superstar Aaron Judge has gone just 2-for-21 with 12 strikeouts. They’ll need to stop the bleeding soon, as they’ve fallen to just 2.5 games up on the Rays for control of the AL East, the team’s smallest lead in the division since May 11. They’ll try to break out of this offensive malaise later today against Angels youngster Jack Kochanowicz, who has  a 5.53 ERA in 14 starts this year.

2. Nationals lose ten straight:

While the Yankees may be the contender struggling the most right now, they’re far from the team in the most difficult spot at the moment. The Nationals weren’t far from contention at the beginning of June but are currently in the midst of a ten-game skid that’s dropped their record to 30-43. They’ve been buried 15 games behind the Mets in the NL East, and even a Wild Card spot is falling out of reach as they sit 9.5 games back. If there’s a silver lining for the Nats, it’s that the Rockies are in town and they’ll get the opportunity to snap this streak today when right-hander German Marquez and his 6.62 ERA in 14 starts this year take the mound. Marquez has endured an extremely difficult season but is entering today after tossing one of his best starts of the year against Atlanta last time out. He struck out seven Braves across five-innings of one-run ball in that showing.

3. Verlander to return:

Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander hasn’t pitched in a month due to a strained pectoral muscle that sent him to the injured list. The 42-year-old righty is scheduled to be activated from the shelf and take the mound for the Giants at 6:45pm local time. Verlander’s on the 15-day injured list, so a corresponding move will only be necessary to clear an active roster spot for the veteran. His opponent today will be a Guardians club with plenty to play for, as they currently sit just half a game out of an AL Wild Card spot. Southpaw Logan Allen will be on the mound for Cleveland and sports a 4.28 ERA across 13 outings this year.

4. Sheehan back from Tommy John surgery:

Elsewhere in the NL West, the Dodgers are set to welcome an arm of some note back to their staff. Righty Emmet Sheehan, out since May 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, is listed as tonight’s probable starter for Los Angeles. He’ll need to be reinstated from the 60-day injured list, but L.A. has an open spot on the 40-man roster, so only a corresponding active roster move will be required. Now 25 years old, Sheehan ranked as one of the system’s top pitching prospects before making his debut in 2023, when he pitched 60 1/3 frames with a 4.92 ERA, 25.8% strikeout rate and 10.5% walk rate. He posted a 2.43 ERA with an outrageous 41% strikeout rate in a similar sample of minor league work that season, and he’s tossed 11 1/3 innings with a 44.7% strikeout rate on his current rehab stint. Sheehan isn’t fully stretched out yet, but he climbed to 63 pitches in his final rehab outing and is expected to join the Dodgers’ rotation.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Devers presser, Giants debut:

The stunning trade that shipped longtime Red Sox star Rafael Devers to San Francisco over the weekend has been the talk of baseball since it happened. Yesterday, Boston officials discussed the deal and what it means for the club going forward amid reactions from media and members of the organization alike. Today we figure to see the other side of the deal for the first time, as the Giants are expected to conduct an introductory press conference for Devers before the slugger makes his team debut versus the visiting Guardians in a game set for 6:45pm local time. One question that remains up in the air is where Devers will play for San Francisco in the short term. While it seems likely that he’s ticketed for work as a DH over the long-term, it’s possible he could be called upon to fill in at third base while Matt Chapman recovers from a hand sprain that’s expected to keep him out of action for quite some time.

2. Stott day-to-day:

Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott was replaced late in yesterday’s game by Edmundo Sosa, and manager Rob Thomson revealed to reporters (including Lochlahn March of the Philadelphia Inquirer) that Stott hyperextended his elbow on a swing. The 27-year-old was set to get examined by team medical staff, but Thomson acknowledged his second baseman might get at least today’s game against the Marlins off. Stott dealt with a nerve injury in his elbow throughout the 2024 season, and while Thomson suggested it wasn’t clear if there’s a connection between that old issue and his current ailment,  it’s certainly understandable to be cautious. Stott is in the midst of a down season at the plate, hitting just .236/.300/.329 across 66 games. Sosa figures to handle second base for any time that Stott is away from the field.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

With about six weeks to go until the July 31 trade deadline, the first big trade of the summer already happened over the weekend. While it will be difficult for another in-season blockbuster to top the Devers deal, a handful of smaller deals have started to come together around the league as well. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Following a busy Father’s Day weekend around baseball, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on throughout the day:

1. Devers trade fallout:

The biggest news of the weekend was the shocking blockbuster trade that sent longtime Red Sox star Rafael Devers to the Giants in exchange for a four-player package that included right-hander Jordan Hicks and southpaw Kyle Harrison. The Giants are off today, so fans won’t get a glimpse of Devers in his new uniform quite yet, but there’s still plenty of fallout to be examined today. The Red Sox will need to fill out their active roster and pencil a new player into the DH slot in the lineup this evening, and the club told reporters (including Chris Cotillo of MassLive) that chief baseball office Craig Breslow and team president Sam Kennedy will discuss the trade in a Zoom call today.

2. Ohtani to make Dodgers pitching debut:

While San Francisco was adding a star slugger to its roster, their rivals in Los Angeles were preparing for their own superstar’s return to his two-way routine. Shohei Ohtani is set to make his Dodgers pitching debut at 7:10pm local time this evening in L.A. when the Padres come to town a kick off a four-game set with right-hander Dylan Cease (4.28 ERA) on the mound. For Ohtani, it will be his first time on a major league mound since August of 2023, when he was still a member of the Angels. He’s likely to pitch just one inning in today’s outing before being relieved by previously scheduled starter Ben Casparius, but that abbreviated outing seems unlikely to dampen the excitement of fans around the game who have waited nearly two years to see Ohtani resume pitching in big league games.

3. Gilbert to be activated:

The current iteration of the Mariners have long been associated with their elite rotation, but that hasn’t been the case this year. Injuries and ineffectiveness have left them to get an uncharacteristic 4.09 ERA out of their starters, good for just 20th in baseball. Fortunately, there’s help on the way. Manager Dan Wilson told reporters (including Dean Kramer of MLB.com) that right-hander Logan Gilbert is set to return from the injured list today for this evening’s game against the Red Sox. Gilbert pitched brilliantly through six starts earlier this season but has been shelved since late April due to a flexor strain in his right elbow. Fortunately, Gilbert is now set to return to the Mariners just six weeks afterwards. He’ll carry a 2.37 ERA and 2.15 FIP across 30 1/3 innings this year into today’s start opposite Lucas Giolito, who has scuffled to a 5.45 ERA in eight starts.