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Archives for August 2025

Blue Jays Reinstate George Springer From Injured List

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The Blue Jays announced that George Springer has been activated from the seven-day injured list for concussion-related injuries.  Outfielder Joey Loperfido was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in the corresponding move.

Springer last played on July 28, when a wayward pitch from the Orioles’ Kade Strowd caught the Toronto slugger on the earflap of his helmet.  Springer was removed from the game and was officially placed on the concussion IL a few days later, to give him some extended time to recover.  A clean slate of tests earlier this week paved the way for Springer to start a Triple-A rehab assignment, and he’ll now join the Jays lineup after two games in Buffalo.

After posting underwhelming numbers in both 2023 and 2024, it seemed as though Springer was hitting a decline phase as he entered his age-35 season.  Instead, he has bounced back with one of the best seasons of his 12-year career, hitting .291/.383/.506 with 18 home runs over 408 plate appearances.  Only eight qualified hitters in baseball (including teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr.) have a better wRC+ than Springer’s 148 figure.

One element to this turn-around may be Springer’s increased usage as a designated hitter, as he has already set a new career high for DH days by appearing 52 times at the position, as opposed to 45 appearances as an outfielder.  It is perhaps noteworthy that Springer didn’t see any action in the outfield during his two rehab games, and it could hint that the Blue Jays will continue to lean towards using the veteran primarily as a DH down the stretch in order to keep him fresh.  In any case, having Springer back in any capacity is naturally a big help to a Toronto club trying to secure its first division title since 2015.

Loperfido was the odd man out of the roster mix with Springer back, likely just because Loperfido has minor league options remaining.  Performance-wise, Loperfido was very impressive since being called up in July, delivering a .358/.409/.506 slash line over 89 plate appearances.  It seems likely that Loperfido will be back up at least by September 1 when the rosters expand, if another injury doesn’t earn him a quicker ticket back to the Jays’ active roster.

Orioles Select Dylan Beavers, Designate Greg Allen

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The Orioles announced that they have selected the contract of outfield prospect Dylan Beavers from Triple-A Norfolk.  In the corresponding move, outfielder Greg Allen was designated for assignment to create space on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

Beavers will be making his MLB debut whenever he appears in a game, and he figures to get regular playing time for a Baltimore team that is well out of contention.  The promotion is a nice late birthday present for Beavers, who turned 24 earlier this week.

Selected 33rd overall in the 2022 draft and with the first pick of Competitive Balance Round A, Beavers hit really well in his first two pro seasons before taking a step back in 2024.  He crushed Double-A pitching in 2023 but posted more modest numbers (.756 OPS over 509 PA) at the same level last season, and didn’t hit much during a brief six-game Triple-A cameo.

Beavers has spent the entire 2025 season in Norfolk and gotten back on track in a big way, hitting .304/.420/.515 with 18 homers over 418 PA, and he has stolen 23 bases in 28 attempts.  He missed a couple of weeks due to a shoulder sprain, but it didn’t slow Beavers down during a year that has seen him greatly increase his hard-contact numbers and walk rate while cutting back on his strikeouts.  Beavers has struck out only 76 times this season, while walking 68 times.

This surge earned Beavers the 83rd spot on Baseball America’s August update of its top 100 prospects list.  MLB Pipeline has kept Beavers out of its top 100, but like BA, also ranks Beavers as the third-best prospect in the Orioles’ farm system.  Both scouting reports note how Beavers has spent much of his pro career altering his swing to gain more power and become more productive against high velocity, and it would seem like those swing adjustments are paying off.  His solid speed and baserunning ability adds to his offensive value as a stolen-base threat.  Defensively, Beavers is viewed as a corner outfielder, with a chance to stick in right due to an above-average throwing arm.

The specific timing of Beavers’ promotion isn’t surprising, as coming up on August 16 means that Beavers will be spending less than 45 days on the MLB roster, and the Orioles will surely make a point of keeping him under the 130 at-bat threshold.  This means that Beavers will retain his rookie eligibility into 2026, and thus he could remain eligible for Prospect Promotion Incentive status assuming he makes at least two of the preseason top-100 prospect rankings from Baseball America, Pipeline, or ESPN.com.  Eligible PPI rookies can deliver an extra draft pick for their teams, should they qualify for a full year of service time and then either win Rookie of the Year honors or record a top-three finish in MVP voting or Cy Young Award voting during their pre-arbitration years.

Late-season callups of top prospects have long been part of baseball, though the PPI system has now put something of a specific timeline on how teams approach some promotions of their top minor leaguers.  GM Mike Elias more or less admitted earlier this week that the PPI rules were a factor in the Orioles’ plans for Beavers and top prospect Samuel Basallo, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if Basallo also made his MLB debut before the 2025 season is over.

Allen signed with the O’s just on August 8, as the team needed some quick depth due to a spate of outfield injuries.  Allen’s seven games with Baltimore marked his first big league playing time since the 2023 season, though it was a rather ignominious stint, as he didn’t reach base in any of his 14 plate appearances.  Prior to joining the Orioles, Allen was playing for the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate, and was hitting .270/.355/.440 over 231 PA.

A veteran of eight MLB seasons, Allen is known for his speed and his ability to play all three outfield positions, even though he has never produced much at the dish.  He is out of minor league options, and since he has been previously outrighted in his career, he’ll have the ability to elect free agency if he clears waivers.  It is possible a team in need of outfield depth may bring Allen board on a waiver claim, but it seems likelier that he’ll enter free agency and land elsewhere on a minors contract.

Hector Neris Elects Free Agency

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Veteran reliever Hector Neris has elected to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate, as per the team.  Houston designated Neris for assignment earlier this week, and after he cleared waivers and was outrighted off the 40-man roster, Neris’ nine-plus years of MLB service time allowed him the right to opt for free agency rather than remain in the Astros’ organization.

There wasn’t much surprise in Neris’ decision, and the 36-year-old will now seek out another new landing spot in what has been a nomadic season for the right-hander.  Neris has already suited up with the Astros, Angels, and Braves in 2025, signing a guaranteed deal with Houston in July following minor league contracts with Los Angeles and Atlanta.  Neris also opted into free agency after being outrighted off the Braves’ roster in early April, and after another DFA in late June, the Angels just released Neris rather than go through the motions of an outright.

A 6.75 ERA over 26 2/3 combined innings in 2025 underlines why Neris has had trouble sticking on a roster.  On the plus side, Neris has a strong 28.2% strikeout rate, and his 3.85 SIERA reflects how some bad luck (.348 BABIP, 55.9% strand rate) has inflated his real-world ERA.  However, Neris hasn’t helped his cause by allowing six homers within his small sample size of work, and his 12.9% walk rate is the highest of his 12-year Major League career.

Despite these numbers and a shaky 2024 season with the Cubs and Astros, Neris has enough of a career track record that he’ll surely catch on somewhere, likely on another minors contract.  Teams in need of bullpen help may well focus more on the strikeout rate than Neris’ control issues, and hope that a change of scenery can help him finally get his wayward year on track.  Signing with a new team before September 1 would also make Neris eligible for postseason play, though naturally he’ll need to perform a lot better than he has in order to receive consideration for a playoff roster.

Giants Place Matt Chapman On 10-Day Injured List

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Prior to Friday’s 7-6 loss to the Rays, the Giants placed third baseman Matt Chapman on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 13.  (The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser was the first to report the IL placement.)  With right-hander Ryan Walker also going on the paternity list, the Giants addressed the two open roster spots by calling up right-hander Keaton Winn from Triple-A and activating righty Landen Roupp from the 15-day IL to make the start.

Chapman is dealing with inflammation in his right hand, and has taken a cortisone shot in an effort to try and return in a minimal amount of time.  Even then, as he told Slusser and other reporters Friday that his hand likely won’t be fully healed until the offseason.  It all stems from the initial hand injury that sidelined Chapman for about four weeks in June and early July, when he suffered sprains and bone bruises on three fingers on his right hand following a painful dive back to third base.

Even after returning from that first IL stint, Chapman was still playing through discomfort, leaving him “trying to push through it, do what I can.”  Things reached a breaking point within the last few days, when Chapman’s hand became sore enough that “I really felt like I couldn’t use my hand when I was swinging, and it just didn’t feel right.”

The numbers underline Chapman’s struggles.  The third baseman hit .243/.360/.452 over his first 272 place appearances of the season, but then batted just .200/.290/.365 over the 131 PA in between his two IL placements.

Chapman’s slump has been just one factor in a team-wide offensive shortage over the last month, which has led to the Giants’ big slide down the standings.  San Francisco is 7-21 over its last 28 games, which includes an ongoing six-game losing streak and a hard-to-believe stretch of 14 losses in the Giants’ last 15 home games.  Even if Chapman does return in a minimal amount of time and is able to regain his form at the plate, it may already be too late for the Giants to make a late push at a wild card slot.

Casey Schmitt is the likeliest fill-in for Chapman at third base, though Schmitt had to leave Friday’s game after being hit by a pitch.  In the postgame media session, Giants manager Bob Melvin told Slusser and company that x-rays were negative, though Schmitt may need to miss a few games to let his right forearm contusion heal up.  This could put Christian Koss in line for some third base playing time.

Mets To Designate Paul Blackburn For Assignment

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The Mets are going to designate right-hander Paul Blackburn for assignment, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. That will be the corresponding move for the promotion of Nolan McLean, a move that was previously reported.

Blackburn was acquired by the Mets at last year’s trade deadline. At the time, the Mets had lost both Kodai Senga and Christian Scott to the injured list and suddenly needed a bit of rotation depth. He made five starts for the Mets before he himself required a stint on the injured list. He hit the IL due to a right hand contusion. While on the IL, it was reported that he was dealing with a spinal fluid leak in his back. He didn’t make it back off the IL. He underwent a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak repair procedure in October.

Despite the rough landing in Queens, the Mets tendered him a contract for 2025, his final arb season before reaching free agency. The Mets seemed interested in stockpiling rotation depth. They signed Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas and Griffin Canning, adding to a rotation mix which already included Senga, David Peterson, Tylor Megill and Blackburn. The Mets and Blackburn avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $4.05MM salary for this year.

Unfortunately, it has turned into another season marred by injuries and the Mets seemingly never had much interest in putting him back into the rotation. He likely would have been off the roster long ago if not for other injuries, both to himself and others.

Blackburn started the season on the IL due to inflammation in his right knee. He was rehabbing throughout May, before being reinstated from the injured list in early June. By the middle of June, there was reporting that the Mets were fielding trade interest in Blackburn. At the time, they had a rotation of Senga, Peterson, Holmes, Canning and Megill, with both Montas and Manaea on rehab assignments. Blackburn appeared to be surplus to requirements. But moments after that report came out, Senga got injured and landed on the IL. Megill went on the shelf not long after.

That opened a window for Blackburn to stick around, but then he himself hit the IL again in early July due to a right shoulder impingement. He began a rehab assignment in the middle of July and got up to five innings by his second outing. But the Mets didn’t have a rotation spot for him behind Senga, Manaea, Holmes, Peterson and Montas. They let Blackburn throw a few more rehab starts, perhaps because they just wanted to keep him around in case someone else got injured.

In recent days, Montas was moved to the bullpen to open a rotation spot for McLean. Blackburn was reinstated from the IL and put in the bullpen as well. He tossed five innings of long relief on Wednesday after Peterson couldn’t get through the fourth inning. Now, he’s been bumped off the 40-man entirely.

This move ends a strange Mets tenure for Blackburn. He was technically with the club for over a year but only made 12 appearances in orange and blue. It often seemed like the Mets were on the verge of nudging him out the door before it finally happened.

He now heads into DFA limbo. With the trade deadline having passed, he will have to be placed on waivers. There is just under $1MM left to be paid out on his salary. His frequent injuries likely hurt his chances of being claimed, though he has had some decent results when healthy. With the Athletics in 2022 and 2023, he tossed a combined 215 innings with a 4.35 earned run average. His 20.7% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate and 44.5% ground ball rate were all fairly close to league averages.

Those cromulent results surely attracted the Mets in the first place but he wasn’t spared the injury bug even in those campaigns. Issues with his right middle finger prevented him from surpassing 115 innings in either of those seasons.

Still, decent starting pitching is hard to find after the deadline, so perhaps Blackburn will find some interest. If he clears waivers, the Mets will remain on the hook for the rest of his salary. At that point, another club could sign him and pay him the prorated portion of the league minimum salary for any time spent on the roster. That amount would be subtracted from what the Mets pay.

Photo courtesy of Jason Parkhurst, Imagn Images

Angels Re-Sign Shaun Anderson To Minor League Deal

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The Angels have re-signed right-hander Shaun Anderson to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The veteran righty has been assigned to the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.

Anderson, 30, has essentially been the 27th man on the Angels’ active roster all season long. This is the fourth minor league deal he has signed with the club in 2025. The first three were all selected to the big league roster. Since Anderson is out of options, he was eventually designated for assignment once he got squeezed off the roster. In each instance, he cleared waivers, elected free agency and re-signed via a new minor league deal.

Presumably, both sides are comfortable with the arrangement. The Angels have an extra arm they can call upon when the rest of the staff is gassed. Anderson, meanwhile, gets occasional spurts of big league pay and service time.

Around the transactions, he has thrown 11 1/3 innings over seven big league appearances. He has allowed 13 earned runs on 20 hits and three walks while striking out 11. He now has a 6.39 earned run average in 163 1/3 innings dating back to his 2019 debut. He has also thrown 81 Triple-A innings this year with a 6.44 ERA in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Photo courtesy of Cary Edmondson, Imagn Images

Poll: Can The Padres Hold Onto The NL West?

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It’s been a big week for baseball in California. After the Padres swept the Giants and the Angels swept the Dodgers, a new leader stood atop the NL West. The Padres had claimed sole possession of first, while the Dodgers slipped into second, one game back of San Diego. The playoff odds will tell you that the Dodgers remain the favorites, but they’re losing momentum. According to FanGraphs, the Dodgers had an 83.8% chance to win their division on Opening Day, while the Padres’ odds were a mere 3.8%. As recently as three weeks ago, L.A.’s odds reached 96.6%, while San Diego’s sat at 1.5%. Yet, the Padres have since won 14 of their last 18 games, while the Dodgers are 8-10 in the same span. Accordingly, FanGraphs now has L.A.’s odds just below two-thirds (63.8%) and San Diego’s just above one-third (36.1%). You can think of it this way: These odds mean the Padres are now about as likely to win the NL West as the White Sox (.364 winning percentage) are to win on any given day. It’s still not likely, but it’s more than possible. The White Sox, as bad as they are, have still won 44 games.

This big week of California baseball will continue into the weekend, as the Dodgers host the Padres for a three-game set at Chavez Ravine. With a series win, the Dodgers would secure the season series tiebreaker, which could prove critical in a close division race. A sweep would give them sole possession of first place once again. Conversely, for the Padres, a series win would keep their chances of winning the tiebreaker alive, while a sweep would give them a four-game cushion over their rivals. With a four-game lead, the Padres would control their own destiny for the 38 games remaining in the regular season; they only have three more against the Dodgers after this weekend.

The Dodgers are lined up to send Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow to the mound. While the team continues to be plagued by injuries – most recently to Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Hyeseong Kim, Tommy Edman, and Brock Stewart – the starting rotation is much stronger with Kershaw, Snell, and Glasnow, as well as Emmet Sheehan and Shohei Ohtani, all healthy at the same time, alongside 2025 All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto. While the Dodgers have seen their playoff odds plummet over the past three weeks, their starting rotation leads the majors in strikeout rate and SIERA in that time. They also rank second in groundball rate and xERA and third in fWAR. All this to say, the Dodgers’ starters, should they stay healthy, will be a strength for this team down the stretch.

As for the Padres, their pitching plans for the weekend became more complicated when Michael King was scratched with knee inflammation, heading back to the IL after only one start. He had just returned from a thoracic nerve issue that kept him out for more than two months. San Diego’s rotation, now more than ever, has a lot of question marks behind Dylan Cease and Nick Pivetta. Yu Darvish has been inconsistent since he made his season debut in July; the former ace is almost 39, and he’s missed a lot of time with injuries in the past few years. Deadline acquisition Nestor Cortes has only made two starts since returning from a four-month IL stint, and he’s yet to make it out of the fifth inning. It’s hard to know what the Padres can expect from him as well. The recently recalled Randy Vásquez is a great backup plan for King – he’s a much more established sixth starter than most teams can boast – but his 5.98 xERA and 5.85 SIERA are huge red flags underlying his 3.93 ERA in 22 starts this season.

Thankfully for the Padres, they have the best bullpen in the league backing up their starting staff. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller bolstered a group that already included Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam, and Jeremiah Estrada with flamethrower Mason Miller in a blockbuster deadline trade. The Padres’ bullpen leads the majors with 37 wins, 40 saves, a 2.97 ERA, and 6.7 fWAR, and keep in mind, Miller has only been a part of it for a couple of weeks. As for the Dodgers, they might have a great bullpen if it weren’t missing Scott, Yates, Stewart, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, and Brusdar Graterol. It would be an exaggeration to call their arm barn a weakness, but one has to imagine that Dave Roberts is a lot less confident than Mike Shildt when it comes time to take his starter out of a game.

It should also be said that Miller and Cortes were far from Preller’s only trade deadline pickups. While Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers didn’t add much – Stewart and outfielder Alex Call were their biggest acquisitions – Preller may have won the deadline. At the very least, he won the deadline in the NL West, according to two-thirds of respondents in a recent MLBTR poll. At 5:01 PM CT on July 31, the newest Padres included Miller, Cortes, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Laureano, JP Sears, Freddy Fermin, and Will Wagner. The Dodgers were still three games up on the Padres at that point, but the Padres were a whole new team, with a deeper bullpen, a stronger rotation, a better catcher, and a more powerful offense against righties and lefties alike. Equally important was their decision to hold onto all of their key contributors who had come up in pre-deadline trade rumors, including Cease and Suarez.

The Dodgers have the better odds, according to both FanGraphs and PECOTA. They also have the better run differential, the higher FanGraphs WAR, and the reputation as the team to beat. After all, they’re the reigning World Series champions. They’ve won the NL West 11 times in the past 12 seasons. Meanwhile, the Padres haven’t won the West in almost 20 years. They haven’t won a pennant since the ’90s. They’ve never won it all. Yet, they’re playing like the better team right now, and they have the one-game lead to prove it. The question is: Can they hold on?

Will the Padres finally usurp the Dodgers in the NL West? Will the Dodgers’ dynasty live on another year? Or could a dark horse in the division pull off a remarkable comeback? Have your say in the poll below!

Diamondbacks Teammates Reportedly Frustrated With Ketel Marte

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It appears there’s some behind-the-scenes drama in Arizona. Per a report from Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic, some players on the Diamondbacks are frustrated with second baseman Ketel Marte for his tendency to miss games. Most often, that appears to be due to health, though a situation around the All-Star break where Marte was absent from the club was also seemingly a source of discontent.

Marte is clearly an asset to the Diamondbacks when on the field. He has been a very productive player for the Snakes for several years now. That has not stopped as he has pushed into his early 30s. In fact, he’s arguably been at his best lately. Last year, he hit 36 home runs, drew walks in 11.1% of his plate appearances and limited his strikeouts to an 18.2% clip. He slashed .292/.372/.560 for a 151 wRC+. He stole seven bases and got strong grades for his glovework. FanGraphs credited him with 6.3 wins above replacement, tying his personal best mark in that category. Only nine position players bested him there.

This year, his production has been similar. He has slashed .296/.398/.557 for a 162 wRC+ and has been credited with 4.2 fWAR, in 47 fewer games than last year. Both Tuesday and Wednesday in Arlington, he hit go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning which ultimately proved to be game-winners.

The issue is more about him deciding not to take the field. Marte does have a notable injury history. In 2021, he was limited to just 90 games by strains of both hamstrings. Since then, smaller absences have limited him to the range of 135-150 games per year. Per Piecoro, Marte asked for a day off in the final week of the 2024 season, which “irked” teammates. This year, he “raised eyebrows” when he asked to not play the final game before the break, but then participated in the All-Star game itself. Piecoro contrasts this type of behavior with that of Corbin Carroll, who has been playing through a broken bone in his hand because he feels he owes it to the team.

Manager Torey Lovullo addressed the situation, after Piecoro’s article came out, with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and The Burns & Gambo Show on Arizona Sports. Generally, Lovullo defended Marte on the topic of knowing his own body and when it needs a break. “Ketel Marte has a massive heart. He is extremely emotional. He loves to play. He wants to be in the middle of everything with his teammates every single day. The body doesn’t always function the right way. And sometimes we got to listen to what he says and do what’s best for him which, in turn, will give us the best results for his production.”

One incident in particular seems to go beyond health, however. Marte was placed on the restricted list on July 18th, the first day after the All-Star break, as the Snakes were set to play the Cardinals. It was reported around that time that Marte was away from the club due to a recent break-in at his Arizona home, though Piecoro now notes that Marte was in the Dominican Republic for most of the break. Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports, Marte was supposed to travel with Carroll and Eugenio Suárez back from the All-Star game but decided to take a vacation in the D.R. “knowing he would miss a game or two,” in Gambadoro’s words. His teammates didn’t know about his planned absence and he didn’t find out about the burglary until he was in the D.R.

It’s possible Marte’s head was elsewhere, even before the break-in. There was a much-publicized incident in late June, just a few weeks before the All-Star break, wherein he was visibly brought to tears during a game against the White Sox in Chicago. Marte later told members of the media, including the Associated Press, that a fan was heckling him about his late mother. Marte’s mother passed away in a car accident in 2017. “A fan was up on the dugout shouting things about my mother,” Marte said. “He was like, ‘Last night I sent a message to your mother.’” Marte said he had been in Chicago to play the Cubs when his mother died, which gave the situation extra resonance. The fan was given an indefinite ban from all major league parks.

Lovullo was also asked about the All-Star break incident on The Burns & Gambo Show, linked above. “I was unaware of the break-in,” Lovullo said. “I was unaware of the timing of the break-in. I was unaware of what the intentions were, what plane he was on. I just became aware of him not being ready to play a baseball game on the day, on the morning, afternoon of our first baseball game.”

At that time, the Diamondbacks were still fighting to stay in contention. By the middle of July, it still wasn’t clear whether they would go into the deadline as buyers or sellers. Marte reported to the team and was reinstated from the restricted list on July 20th, missing two games. The Snakes won those two games, incidentally, but it’s understandable that his teammates would get upset about him missing key games with the season on the line. From there, the club slumped a bit and ended up selling. They traded away Josh Naylor, Merrill Kelly, Suárez, Shelby Miller and Randal Grichuk ahead of the deadline.

It’s certainly an awkward spot for the skipper. It would be fair to criticize him for not being more insistent with Marte about getting into the lineup more often, especially if it’s rankling other teammates. Oddly, Lovullo said “I don’t know what’s happening inside of our clubhouse” when discussing the situation to MLB Network Radio. On the other hand, Piecoro relays that some feel he could push Marte too hard and risk Marte “sulking or shutting down,” in Piecoro’s words.

The question now is what comes next. Piecoro and Gambadoro both float the idea of a trade but also downplay the possibility. That’s a natural speculation when rumors of discord come out of a clubhouse. The baseball world just saw plenty of ink spilled about disagreements between Rafael Devers and the Red Sox. Though he was once seemingly entrenched as a franchise player on a long-term deal, he was flipped to the Giants in the wake of those stories.

On the other hand, scuffles like this quickly blow over sometimes. Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil of the Mets got into a fight during a game in 2021 but they put that behind them and have been teammates for many years since then.

Marte is signed through the 2031 season. He is owed $102.5MM after this year. That includes an $11.5MM player option for 2031. Given his talents, plenty of clubs would be interested in acquiring him at that price point. However, it’s also possible teams may wonder if they would be acquiring a somewhat injury-prone player who is moving towards his mid-30s and who may not have 100% commitment to the game. Marte’s deal does not have no-trade protection but he will have 10-and-5 rights a few days into the 2026 campaign.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Dodgers To Place Max Muncy On IL With Oblique Strain, Claim Buddy Kennedy

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The Dodgers have claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Blue Jays, per Dodger Blue. Right-hander Julian Fernández has been designated for assignment as the corresponding 40-man move. Toronto designated Kennedy for assignment last week. Manager Dave Roberts says that Kennedy will jump right onto the active roster as third baseman Max Muncy goes on the 10-day injured list due to a grade 1 oblique strain, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.

Muncy was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup due to right side soreness. The club was off yesterday and it seems further testing has determined that he needs at least a bit of a breather. It’s not clear exactly how long that breather will be. “I don’t think anybody expects it to be season-ending, but hopefully it’s sooner rather than later,” Roberts said, per Alden González of ESPN.

It’s an unfortunate development for the Dodgers. It’s been a real up-and-down season for Muncy but he’s been in good form lately. He started the year ice cold, slashing .190/.313/.286 through May 12th. Since then, he’s been red hot, hitting .314/.447/.660. That heater was interrupted by a monthlong stint on the IL due to a bone bruise in his left knee but that didn’t slow down his production. He came off the IL a little over a week ago and produced a .348/.531/.870 line in eight games between IL stints.

Despite Muncy’s production, the Dodgers have been in a bit of a skid lately. They went 10-14 in July and are 5-7 so far in August. Meanwhile, the Padres have gone on a tear and have taken over the lead in the American League West. The two clubs start a series against each other in Los Angeles tonight. Losing one of their hottest hitters is obviously less than ideal for the Dodgers as they move into the stretch run. Ideally, Muncy can return fairly quickly but oblique injuries are notoriously difficult.

It’s also not great when considering the club’s larger infield picture. Enrique Hernández, Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim are also on the IL, leaving the club a bit thin in that department. Alex Freeland will likely step in as the regular third baseman with Miguel Rojas taking over the keystone. The only healthy position player on the 40-man roster who is on optional assignment is outfielder Esteury Ruiz.

Claiming Kennedy gives the Dodgers a bench infielder, something they would have otherwise lacked. The 26-year-old has plenty of intriguing numbers in the minors but hasn’t yet clicked in the majors. That has led to him exhausting his options, which has pushed him into journeyman territory. Over the past few years, he has suited up for the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays. He has stepped to the plate 163 times scattered over the four most recent seasons but with just a .193/.288/.300 line to show for it.

As mentioned, his minor league work has been better. Dating back to the start of 2023, he has 1,262 Triple-A plate appearances. His 13.9% walk rate and 17.1% strikeout rate in that time are both solid figures. He produced a combined .284/.395/.443 line and 116 wRC+ over that span while playing all four infield spots and a bit of left field as well. Since he’s out of options, he may only hold his roster spot for as long as it takes for someone else to come off the IL. But he was out there on the wire when they needed an infielder, so he’ll get a shot with the Dodgers now.

Fernández, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers in the offseason. He was selected to the 40-man roster on July 7th. He pitched two innings that day, allowing two earned runs, and was optioned back down to Triple-A the next day.

His major league track record is still limited, as he had just six appearances prior to his one with the Dodgers this year, but he’s been in good form in Triple-A this season. He has tossed 41 1/3 innings with the Oklahoma City Comets, pitching in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, with a 3.05 earned run average, 8.8% walk rate and 28.7% strikeout rate.

With the trade deadline having passed, Fernández will end up on waivers. He can still be optioned for the rest of this year and one additional season. Given his numbers this year and the fact that he can be stashed in the minors, it’s possible he gets claimed in the coming week by a club in search of extra bullpen depth.

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Padres Place Michael King On Injured List

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August 15: King spoke to reporters, including AJ Cassavell of MLB.com, about his injury today. He says an MRI showed no structural damage and he hopes to return when first eligible.

August 14: The Padres announced that right-hander Michael King has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to left knee inflammation, retroactive to August 11th. Right-hander Randy Vásquez has been recalled in the corresponding move.

The Friars haven’t yet provided any information about King’s injury or how long they expect him to be out of action. His IL placement is a notable development regardless. The Padres just passed the Dodgers to take a one-game lead in the National League West. The two clubs open a three-game series against each other in Los Angeles tomorrow with the division lead on the line. King was scheduled to take the ball in the first game but that will no longer be the case. Perhaps Vásquez will take the ball instead. Dylan Cease, scheduled to start Saturday, could start Friday instead and still be on regular rest.

For King, it continues what has already been an injury-marred season. He landed on the IL in late May due to shoulder inflammation. That injury once seemed fairly innocuous, as King woke up feeling some discomfort after sleeping on his shoulder awkwardly. It was later revealed that he was battling an issue with his thoracic nerve. It took him over two months to return to the big league club.

Once he was healthy enough to get back on the mound, his return to the majors was swift. He made just one rehab start, which was on August 3rd. He tossed 61 pitches over 3 1/3 innings for Triple-A El Paso, allowing six earned runs. The Padres nonetheless activated him from the IL to start Saturday’s big league game. It took him 57 pitches to get through two innings against the Red Sox, allowing two earned runs in the process.

Evidently, some knee inflammation popped up between that start and today. There’s nothing to indicate King is in for an extended absence but it’s still not a great development for the club. King had a tremendous breakout with San Diego last year. He tossed 173 2/3 innings with a 2.95 earned run average, 27.7% strikeout rate and 8.7% walk rate. His rate stats were fairly similar this year before landing on the IL.

Ideally, the Padres would have that kind of production in their rotation, not only in the regular season but also in the playoffs. Perhaps King can get back on track in a few weeks but this is surely a setback they didn’t want.

They now go into the next few weeks with a rotation consisting of Cease, Yu Darvish, Nestor Cortes, Nick Pivetta and perhaps Vásquez. Guys like JP Sears, Matt Waldron and Kyle Hart are on optional assignment. Pivetta’s having a great year but Cease has a 4.86 ERA over his past ten starts. Darvish and Cortes have both been on the IL for most of the season. Having King back to his 2024 self would have made the group much stronger but he’s back on the shelf. Tomorrow’s game in Los Angeles is the first of 13 in a row without an off-day.

It’s also not a good development for King personally, as he’s an impending free agent. After his tremendous 2024 campaign and in the early parts of this year, he was trending towards being one of the top free agent starters of the 2025-26 offseason, with a good shot at a nine-figure deal. His monthslong summer absence put a cloud of uncertainty around him and put a big dent in his earning power.

Getting back to the majors could have been the first step towards putting him back on track. Almost two months of solid regular season work followed by a few good postseason starts could have erased the memory of that shoulder injury. That could still happen to some degree, but the window is now narrower.

Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images

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