Rangers Claim Blaine Crim
The Rangers announced that first baseman Blaine Crim has been claimed off waivers from the Rockies. Crim has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, and right-hander Carter Baumler was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot.
More to come…
Red Sox Making Trade Calls For Offensive Help
The Red Sox rank 29th of 30 teams in both homers (36) and runs (187), and their collective 89 wRC+ is better than only three other clubs. The lack of pop has been one of the major factors of Boston’s 22-28 record, and the front office is looking to upgrade the lineup.
Club president Sam Kennedy told WEEI’s Greg Hill in a radio interview yesterday that the Red Sox were looking into trades, and the Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey wrote today that the team would prefer to add a right-handed hitter. Some positions are obviously more of a need than others, but McCaffrey writes that Boston “is looking to add any offense in general.”
Willson Contreras leads the Sox with a 140 wRC+ and has first base locked down. Catcher is probably not a major position of need since Connor Wong is providing roughly league-average offense, even if Carlos Narvez isn’t hitting much. Mickey Gasper has also hit well in a small sample size since being called up from Triple-A a couple of weeks ago, giving the Red Sox even more depth at the catching position.
Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela have been very productive, while Masataka Yoshida has been so-so as a part-time DH and outfielder. While Jarren Duran has struggled and Roman Anthony is on the injured list, the Red Sox outfield is still crowded enough that the team would likely only be looking to add a part-time bat in that area. Since Rafaela is the only right-handed bat within that group of five outfielders, this is where another righty-swinger might come in handy for platoon purposes, as Anthony’s continued absence creates some opportunity for playing time on the grass.
Shortstop, second base, and third base are the most obvious target areas, as the Sox have gotten little to nothing from Marcelo Mayer, Trevor Story, Caleb Durbin, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Story will be gone for at least the next six weeks recovering from hernia surgery, and Mayer will now move from second base to get some playing time at shortstop in Story’s absence. Maybe it’s possible that the shift back to his original position could increase Mayer’s overall comfort level and unlock his bat against Major League pitching, but in any case, the Red Sox still want to give Mayer regular looks at the big league level.
Durbin was the centerpiece of a six-player trade with the Brewers in February, so the Sox aren’t going to entirely abandon him despite Durbin’s extreme struggles at the plate. IKF was signed to a one-year, $6MM deal over the winter and was viewed as a part-time player at best, so reducing his playing time (or maybe releasing him entirely) in favor of another right-handed hitting infielder seems like the most probable option. Andruw Monasterio and Nick Sogard are also around in the infield mix but the Red Sox might prefer an external answer and a more proven bat.
Whether such an established bat can be found just two months into the season remains to be seen. Though we’re less than a year away from the June blockbuster that saw the Red Sox themselves send Rafael Devers to the Giants, it is more likely that any external additions come in the form of a waiver claim or a trade for a recently-designated player rather than the Sox landing a true everyday starter type.
Teams generally prefer to wait until much closer to the trade deadline to pull the trigger on truly significant deals (whether as buyers or sellers), and all the parity in the American League adds another layer of difficulty to trade talks. Only five AL teams have winning records, leaving 10 clubs still technically in contention — for all their issues, the Red Sox sit two games out of a wild card slot.
Kennedy alluded to the situation by saying “there’s some National League teams that are, I’d say, more engaged in conversations than typical at this time of the year….Will we be able to get a deal done or match up on something I have no idea is the truth, but there’s conversations, there’s urgency, and that’s something that’s that’s important, and hopefully something that could be done, you know, earlier rather than later.”
Among teams not expected to contend this season, the Cardinals and White Sox both have winning records, so they’re probably going to play things out further before considering selling. The Angels should be in sell mode but rarely operate in such a fashion. The Rockies, Marlins, and Nationals are all likely open for business already when it comes to moves, and one wonders if Washington’s CJ Abrams might be on Boston’s radar if chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is open to a major infield shakeup. Nats president of baseball operations Paul Toboni came to his current job after a decade in the Red Sox front office, so Toboni has plenty of knowledge about the Boston farm system.
The firing of manager Alex Cora just 27 games into the season indicates there’s plenty of pressure on the organization to turn things around, and Breslow’s job security has also come into question since Cora’s removal. With this in mind, it is possible Breslow might be more open to dealing prospects if it means adding a major bat quickly. Top prospect Franklin Arias is surely unavailable and Breslow will be understandably hesitant about dealing from the team’s minor league pitching depth. But, since asking prices are always inflated in trade talks at this time of the year, rival front offices are surely going to try and capitalize on any perceived desperation on Boston’s part.
Cubs Designate Nicky Lopez, Promote Kevin Alcantara
The Cubs designated infielder Nicky Lopez for assignment, and called up outfielder Kevin Alcantara from Triple-A Iowa in the corresponding move. Alcantara was already on the 40-man roster and the Cubs already have an open spot on their 40-man roster, so Lopez’s DFA leaves Chicago with just 38 spots filled. 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reported earlier today that Alcantara was present in the Cubs’ clubhouse.
After receiving 22 plate appearances in 13 MLB games over the last two seasons, Alcantara is back in the Show for another go, even if his path to playing time again seems limited. The right-handed hitting Alcantara projects to get some at-bats against southpaws, spelling either Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field or Michael Conforto at DH. Moises Ballesteros is currently the right-handed side of the DH timeshare, but since Ballesteros has only three hits in his last 55 plate appearances, he figures to lose playing time and could even be a candidate to be optioned back to Triple-A.
Because Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are both free agents after the season, the expectation has been that Alcantara might have to wait until 2027 to get any extended looks in Chicago’s outfield. He still doesn’t turn 24 until July and he has yet to correct the swing-and-miss issues that have stood out as a red flag in the minor leagues. Granted, Alcantara has looked great when making contact, as evidenced by his 15 homers and his .247/.339/.567 slash line over 180 PA in Iowa this season. He does have 60 strikeouts within those 180 PA, and those holes in his swing may be more glaring against MLB pitching.
Lopez was acquired from the Rockies for cash considerations in late April, but he played in only four games during his month on the Cubs’ active roster. Chicago’s lineup is among the most stable in all of baseball, and Lopez joins Scott Kingery and Dylan Carlson as experienced players who have come and gone from the active roster with only a slight amount of playing time.
Once a regular in the Royals’ infield, Lopez has hit only .228/.298/.281 over 1220 PA with five different big league teams since the start of the 2022 season. He has a wealth of experience as shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman, but is little more than a depth option at this stage of his career.
It is possible another team in need of infield help could claim Lopez off waivers, but should he clear waivers and be outrighted, Lopez can decline that assignment in favor of free agency. Since Lopez has three different stints with the Cubs in 2025 alone, he might well become a free agent but then quickly re-sign with the team on a new minor league contract, since there’s obviously some connection between the two parties.
Twins Designate Luis Garcia, Reinstate Taj Bradley From 15-Day IL
The Twins activated right-hander Taj Bradley from the 15-day injured list, and Bradley is expected to start today’s game with the Red Sox. To make room for Bradley on the active roster, Minnesota designated right-hander Luis Garcia for assignment.
Bradley’s placement was retroactive to May 6, so he’ll return to the mound after slightly longer than a minimal 15-day stint. Right pec inflammation sent Bradley to the IL in what seemed like mostly a precautionary move on the Twins’ part, and he made one rehab start with Triple-A St. Paul during his brief time on the sidelines.
The injury threw a minor wrench into what has otherwise been a very solid start to Bradley’s 2026 campaign. The right-hander has a 2.87 ERA and a 26.1% strikeout rate over his first 47 innings and eight starts, and his 8.5% walk rate is also slightly above the league average. Bradley’s 3.66 SIERA is reflective of both that uninspiring walk rate and some good fortune in the form of an 84.3% strand rate, but overall, Bradley’s contributions have helped a Twins rotation that has been hampered by injuries.
This is already the second DFA of the season for Garcia, who was designated and subsequently released by the Mets in April. Minnesota signed Garcia to a minor league deal shortly thereafter and selected him to the 26-man roster in late April, but the veteran righty struggled to a 10.38 ERA over nine appearances and 8 2/3 innings in a Twins uniform. Over 15 total innings with New York and Minnesota, Garcia has a 9.00 ERA and an equal number of walks and strikeouts (six apiece).
Garcia signed a one-year, $1.75MM free agent deal with the Mets this past offseason, and New York remains on the hook for the majority of that salary. The Twins had to pay Garcia only the prorated portion of an MLB minimum salary during his time on their active roster, and that sum is subtracted from his overall $1.75MM figure. Since a waiver claim would mean Garcia’s new team would absorb all of Garcia’s remaining salary, it’s likely that he clears waivers and then elects free agency over an outright assignment to Triple-A St. Paul.
It is at least worth wondering if this could be the end of the line for Garcia, given how he is 39 years old and in his 14th Major League season. Consistency has been an issue for Garcia over his long career, but he has balanced things out with a respectable 4.20 ERA, 21% strikeout rate, and 10% walk rate over 598 1/3 innings in the Show. It was only a season ago that Garcia posted a 3.42 ERA across 55 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, Nationals, and Angels, and it looks like the right-hander is in for another nomadic season as he again enters DFA limbo.
Reds Activate Eugenio Suarez, Place Ke’Bryan Hayes On 10-Day IL
The Reds placed third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list yesterday, while also activating third baseman Eugenio Suarez from the 10-day IL. Suarez returns after missing a month due to an oblique strain, while Hayes (whose placement is retroactive to May 21) is dealing with a lumbar bulging disc.
Back problems have been a recurring issue for Hayes over the years, and Cincinnati manager Terry Francona told The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans and other reporters that Hayes has been bothered by a bad back at various points this season. “I think the spasming has gotten to the point where it’s kind of getting in the way,” Francona said, so the decision was made to let Hayes fully recover during an IL stint.
Beyond just getting healthy, Francona suggested that Hayes’ rehab process will include a stint working on his offensive mechanics at the Reds’ Spring Training facility in Arizona. The Reds were hoping that Hayes might find some untapped hitting potential after he was acquired from the Pirates at last year’s trade deadline, but whatever changes Hayes has made with his new team haven’t worked. Never known for his offense even at the best of times, Hayes’ bat has completely cratered this year, as he has hit only .142/.195/.225 over 128 plate appearances.
While Hayes remains one of baseball’s top defensive third basemen, excellent glovework only goes so far when a player has a 12 wRC+ — the lowest of any player in baseball with at least 120 PA. Sal Stewart had already started to receive some starts at third base even before Hayes went on the IL, and Stewart will likely get the majority of time at the hot corner while Suarez may make the odd start but is more likely to again factor heavily in the DH mix.
Cincinnati’s struggling offense will naturally get a boost from inserting Suarez in Hayes’ place, even if Suarez himself has yet to get going in 2026. After signing a one-year, $15MM free agent deal this past winter, Suarez’s encore in a Reds uniform has thus far resulted in three homers and a .231/.300/.363 slash line over an even 100 PA before the oblique strain sent the veteran to the injured list.
The Opener: Henderson, Williams, Rays
The Cardinals went from “tarps off” to tarps on the field Friday, as the NL Central matchup between the Cards and Reds in Cincinnati was postponed due to rain. The two clubs will make it up as part of a split doubleheader today, with games at 12:10pm CT and 6:15pm CT.
1. Henderson shines again
This may be small consolation given how the Dodgers swept the Brewers in the NLCS last season, but Milwaukee has now won each of its last nine regular-season games against Los Angeles following Friday’s 5-1 victory. Logan Henderson earned the win after tossing five shutout innings, and might’ve gone longer if it wasn’t for a minor back problem that the right-hander told reporters (including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) wasn’t an issue going forward. Henderson’s performance made some history, as he is now the first pitcher in modern baseball history to allow two or fewer earned runs in each of his first 10 career starts. The series between the NL West leaders and the NL Central leaders continues today in Milwaukee when Roki Sasaki takes the hill against Robert Gasser.
2. Williams tops Sanchez in pitching duel
Kyle Manzardo hit a ninth-inning home run off Jhoan Duran for the only run of the Guardians’ 1-0 win over the Phillies on Friday. The game saw both starters dominate over eight innings of shutout ball, with Gavin Williams earning the win by striking out 11 batters and allowing only four hits during his gem of an outing. Cristopher Sanchez gave up only four hits and two walks during his eight frames of work, extending the star southpaw’s scoreless innings streak to 37 2/3 frames — well within reach of Grover Cleveland Alexander‘s Phillies record of a 41-innings streak. The red-hot Guards will try to extend their winning streak to eight games when Slade Cecconi faces Zack Wheeler today in Philadelphia.
3. Rays extend their AL East lead
Gerrit Cole looked very sharp in his return from Tommy John surgery, shutting out the Rays over six innings Friday and leaving the game with a 1-0 lead. Tampa Bay then erupted for four runs in the top of the eighth to emerge with a 4-2 victory in Yankee Stadium, and between the Rays’ five-game win streak and the Yankees’ three-game losing streak, the Rays now hold a 5.5-game lead over New York in the division race. The weekend series will be put on hold, however, as today’s game as already been postponed (until September 22) due to inclement weather.
Why Can’t The Angels Accept Reality?
We're nearly one third of the way through the 2026 regular season. The Angels have won exactly one third of their games. Despite getting out to a decent start -- the Halos were 11-10 after a win on April 17 -- they're now sitting on a 17-34 record. A resurgent performance from Mike Trout and a breakout from Jose Soriano fueled that early success, but those two alone can't carry the rest of the roster. The Angels have won only six of their past 30 games and just one of their past 10.
The end result doesn't come as a major surprise, although it's nevertheless jarring when any team rattles off a stretch with only six wins in 30 games. Still, the Angels didn't enter the season expected to be contenders. MLBTR readers overwhelmingly voted that their offseason was worthy of a D or F grade. FanGraphs projected what now looks like a charitable 72 wins. PECOTA had them down at 66 wins, which now also looks like it could finish on the high end. My colleague Anthony Franco opened his review of the Halos' offseason by writing that the Angels "did little to improve a 90-loss roster and again enter the season as one of the American League’s worst teams on paper."
It's a familiar refrain. The Angels will extend their playoff drought to 12 years when the current season concludes. They haven't had a winning record since 2015. Owner Arte Moreno has cycled through seven managers since their last winning season. Current skipper Kurt Suzuki is in a virtually unprecedented situation: a rookie manager on a one-year deal. There's a chance that 2027 will bring an eighth manager in 12 years.
To hear Suzuki tell it, the Angels are right on the cusp of turning things around. Sam Blum of The Athletic asked him last week whether he felt this was a cold stretch or reflective of where the Angels are as an organization. Suzuki replied: "I truly do believe that we've hit a cold stretch. Even that being said, there are a lot of games where we're in it. We're one swing away, maybe one pitch away, one out away."
Granted, there's not much Suzuki can say in that situation. It's a perfectly fair question to be asked, but a rookie manager on a one-year contract isn't going to throw the entire organization under the bus. He probably does believe, to an extent, that the players on hand have underperformed, gotten unlucky and that the record could be better. There may even be some truth behind that. The Angels certainly aren't a good team, but a team with Trout, Soriano and Zach Neto probably isn't quite bad enough to be a 54-win team (the Angels' current pace).
That said, the Angels are an unequivocally bad team. The organization has been stuck in neutral for more than a decade. Let's take a look at the current state of the roster, what could be done, and why the Halos are spinning their wheels in perpetuity.
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The Guardians’ Faith In Their Own Players Is Paying Off
The Guardians had a very disappointing offseason. Despite winning the American League Central in two straight years and three of the past four, they did almost nothing to upgrade their roster for 2027. They made no trades of significance and spent less than $12MM in free agency.
Even that very modest outlay was offset by savings elsewhere. Emmanuel Clase was supposed to make $6MM this year but he probably won’t see any of that due to his ongoing gambling investigation. José Ramírez signed an extension that technically increased his 2026 salary from $21MM to $26MM but the new deal defers $10MM annually, so it actually saved the club money in the short term.
After MLBTR published its Offseason In Review entry for the Guards, readers mostly panned the club’s actions. In the poll at the bottom of the post, both the F and D options got 37% of the vote. C was next with 19%. The B option got just a 5% share, followed by A at 2%.
But almost two months into the season, they are thriving. They are currently 30-22, one of the few American League clubs comfortably above .500. They are 3.5 games clear of the White Sox and six up on the Twins. Coming into the season, the Tigers were considered by many to be the division favorite, but they are 9.5 back.
How are the Guards doing it? The pitching staff is quite good, which isn’t really a surprise, since they were strong in that department last year. But they have taken a big step forward offensively. The team has a collective .230/.324/.377 line and 101 wRC+. That may not sound too impressive, being just barely above average, but consider where they were last year. The 2025 Guards hit .226/.296/.373 for a wRC+ of 87. They were successful in spite of that lack of offense thanks to their pitching and defense. Cranking up the offense, even just to be middle of the pack, is a notable improvement.
Since they made almost no effort to add external options, the gains are clearly coming from inside the house. Some of this was to be expected. Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana came into the season ranked among the club’s top prospects and both are contributing, but the Guards are also getting improved results from guys who have already been on the team for years, as each of Brayan Rocchio, Angel Martínez and Daniel Schneemann have boosted their numbers this season.
Rocchio came into this season seemingly on the fringe of the roster. By the end of 2025, he had 911 career plate appearances. He had just 13 home runs, a .222/.293/.327 line and 77 wRC+. He had exhausted his final option season. On paper, he and Gabriel Arias had the middle infield jobs but Bazzana was on the way, along with Juan Brito and Angel Genao. There was a non-zero chance of him getting pushed off the roster.
But instead, he’s been taking a step forward. The Guards somewhat surprisingly started the year with Bazzana in the minors and Rocchio at second base. Arias hit the IL in April, leaving Rocchio in charge of the shortstop job. Rocchio has stepped to the plate 188 times and has a .290/.376/.420 line, leading to a 130 wRC+. A lot of that is due to plate discipline. He came into the year with a 7.7% walk rate and 21.3% strikeout rate in his career. Those numbers are at 10.1% and 10.6% this year.
His contact hasn’t made huge strides. In fact, his hard hit rate and exit velocity are actually down relative to last year. What seems to be working for him is some extra patience. His swing rate is down 3.4 percentage points. Perhaps more importantly, his first pitch swing rate is down by 11.5 points. That has led to more walks and fewer strikeouts.
There is a bit of luck at play, as he has a .309 batting average on balls in play. Since he is striking out so rarely, that means lots of balls in play and the luck is really helping him. Perhaps there is some regression coming but Rocchio has already racked up 1.7 wins above replacement in the eyes of FanGraphs, with his solid shortstop defense and nine stolen bases also helping.
Martínez was sent to the plate 653 times over the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He had a tepid .226/.277/.353 line and 77 wRC+ in those, hitting 14 home runs. His 21.9% strikeout rate was around average but his 5.8% walk rate was quite low. He wasn’t guaranteed playing time in 2026, as Cleveland came into the year with an outfield mix consisting of DeLauter, Schneeman, Steven Kwan, George Valera, CJ Kayfus, David Fry and Petey Halpin.
But some struggles from the guys in that group have opened time for Martínez that he has taken advantage of. Unlike Rocchio, there are no big improvements here in terms of discipline. His 19.4% strikeout rate is a bit better but he’s also walking less, with just a 3.4% rate this year. But he already has nine home runs, almost matching his previous career tally, in just 175 plate appearances. That has helped him hit .256/.298/.488 for a 119 wRC+.
Also unlike Rocchio, there are some tangible shifts in the Statcast data. His 36.2% hard hit rate is only around league average but a big jump from the 29.3% rate he had last year. His 88.6 mph average exit velocity is exactly league par but a mile and a half better than his own mark from last year. His 41st percentile bat speed isn’t too impressive but he was in the 21st percentile last year. Making those kinds of gains can sometimes come with more whiffs but, as mentioned, he is actually striking out less.
He also may have found a defensive home in the outfield, depending on who you ask. Martínez was bounced between second base, third base and the grass in 2024 and 2025. His outfield results were poor, as he was given minus-9 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-5 Outs Above Average. DRS is still not convinced this year, giving him a minus-3 grade. Since that’s in roughly one third as many innings, it’s roughly the same pace as last year. But he has been credited with 3 OAA on the year. He has also stolen eight bases, already matching last year’s total. He’s been credited with 1.2 fWAR on the year.
Schneemann spent 2024 and 2025 in a utility role, playing everywhere except first base and the battery. He hit .210/.290/.358 for a wRC+ of 84 in 643 plate appearances. He has been sent to the plate 150 times this year with a .246/.327/.403 line and 109 wRC+.
It’s possible that Schneemann’s improvements are more fluky than those of Rocchio or Martínez. While Rocchio is showing an improved approach and Martínez is hitting the ball with more authority, Schneemann’s gains look to be based on luck, as he has a .333 BABIP so far. HIs 10.7% walk rate is nice but only a slight gain on the 9.8% pace he had coming into the year. His 28.7% strikeout rate is high and only a marginal improvement over the 29.1% rate he had in previous seasons.
In terms of the Statcast data, his hard hit rate and average exit velocity are actually down relative to last year. If there’s one big bright spot, it’s that Statcast has his launch angle sweet spot percentage in the 97th percentile, whereas he was in the 23rd percentile last year. The regression may already be setting in, as Schneemann is hitting .143 in May after batting .321/.391/.564 through the end of April. Even if it was just one big month, some solid offensive results have combined with his speed and defense to give him a tally of 1.0 fWAR on the season.
These three guys aren’t going to get any MVP votes but their contributions are significant in the larger context. As mentioned, the Guards did almost nothing to add outside help. There are seven players on the team who have received at least 150 plate appearances this year. Ramírez is doing his usual thing. DeLauter is having a strong rookie season. But Kwan and Kyle Manzardo are struggling so far. Rocchio, Martínez and Schneemann have stepped up. Those three have a combined .265/.335/.439 line, 120 wRC+ and 3.9 fWAR on the year so far.
Time will tell if they can keep it going but those strong starts have already pushed the Guards out to a nice division lead. If the gains do prove to be sustainable, then it could lead to some interesting decisions down the line.
Bazzana was called up at the end of April and has taken over the second base job, having hit .288/.409/.384 for a 133 wRC+ in the early going. The Guards also have one of the league’s top infield prospects in Genao. He was promoted to Triple-A earlier this month and has put up a .305/.359/.576 line at that level so far. A promotion is arguably already viable and his knocks on the door should get louder every day. His defense is still a work in progress but evaluators expect him to be a viable big league shortstop as he refines his tools.
The Guardians have historically not been shy about trading from their middle infield. Francisco Lindor was their regular shortstop for most of the 2015 to 2020 period before getting flipped to the Mets. Amed Rosario and Andrés Giménez came back in that trade and were fixtures of the middle infield for the next few years. Giménez even got a nine-figure extension. But both were eventually traded, Rosario to the Dodgers and Giménez to the Blue Jays. With Bazzana, Genao, Rocchio, Arias, Schneemann and Brito all now in the middle infield mix, maybe they can make someone in that group available to address another part of the roster.
In the outfield, it’s probably just nice that things are going relatively well out there, as Cleveland has been struggling for years to get production from the grass. Their outfielders hit a collective .225/.288/.341 last year for a 77 wRC+, putting them ahead of only the Royals. This year, they are up to the middle of the pack with a .232/.316/.384 line, thanks to Martínez and DeLauter.
Perhaps the Guards will have to move on from Kwan at some point. He is under club control through 2027. He’s making $7.725MM this year and would be due an arbitration raise going into next year. But his offense slipped to league average last year and he’s down to .202/.330/.260 in 2026, so perhaps a non-tender or a trade are becoming possibilities. Even without Kwan, they have DeLauter, Martínez, Valera, Schneemann, Fry, Halpin, Kayfus, Brito and Kahlil Watson in the mix and controllable for years to come.
Photos courtesy of Brett Davis, Rick Osentoski, Ken Blaze, David Richard, Imagn Images
José Azócar Elects Free Agency
José Azócar elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Braves designated the outfielder for assignment on Wednesday when Eli White returned from a concussion.
Azócar has had two brief stints on Atlanta’s roster this season. He has appeared in nine games, going 5-15 with a pair of doubles and a stolen base. The 30-year-old Venezuela native is a career .248/.293/.325 hitter over 434 plate appearances, most of which came with the Padres between 2022-23.
Around the MLB calls, Azócar has had a solid start to the year with Triple-A Gwinnett. He’s batting .270/.348/.420 with a couple homers and eight steals in 10 tries over 30 minor league games. Azócar has played all three outfield spots and has plus speed off the bench.
There’s a good chance he’ll circle back to the Braves on a minor league deal in the next couple days. Azócar also elected free agency after a DFA on May 8, only to re-sign three days later. He’s out of options and needs to go through waivers each time the Braves want to send him down after a stint on MLB roster.
Chris Taylor Retires
Two-time World Series winner Chris Taylor is retiring, according to the MiLB.com transaction log. He had been in Triple-A with the Angels.
Taylor played parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues. The University of Virginia product was a fifth-round pick by Seattle in 2012. He played a bench role with the Mariners for a couple seasons before being traded to the Dodgers for right-hander Zach Lee in June 2016. That seemingly minor trade would haunt the Mariners, as then-GM Jerry Dipoto would call it “the worst deal I ever made” a year later.
Although Taylor wasn’t much of a factor in his first half-season with the Dodgers, that changed following his recall from Triple-A in April ’17. Taylor hit .288/.354/.496 with 21 home runs and 34 doubles over 140 games. He carried that form into the postseason, posting a near-.900 OPS in his first October action. That included a pair of homers in a five-game NLCS victory over the Cubs, in which Taylor was named the co-series MVP with Justin Turner.
That was the start of a five-year stretch in which Taylor was a key piece of very successful Dodgers teams. He’d hit .258/.340/.450 with 57 homers from 2018-21, earning an All-Star selection in the final of those years. He’d win his first World Series ring when L.A. defeated the Rays in 2020. That was ironically one of the only postseasons in which Taylor didn’t have good numbers, but he’d go on an absolute tear the following October.
Taylor had a signature moment when he hit a walk-off home run against Alex Reyes to knock out the Cardinals in the ’21 Wild Card Game. That was the first of four he’d hit in that postseason despite Dodgers getting bounced by the Braves in the NLCS. Taylor carried that momentum into his first trip to free agency, eventually re-signing on a four-year contract that guaranteed him $60MM.
Although it was an obvious move for the Dodgers at the time, that didn’t work out the way Taylor or the team would’ve hoped. He missed time in each of the first three seasons while his power production dropped. His game always came with a lot of strikeouts, so the declining slugging numbers made him a below-average hitter. He remained a valued clubhouse presence, though, and he’d win another championship when the Dodgers knocked off the Yankees in a five-game World Series in 2024.
Taylor spent the first six weeks of the 2025 season holding a spot on Dave Roberts’ bench. He’d get released in May and joined the Angels on a big league deal. He broke his hand early in his Halos’ tenure and spent most of the year on the injured list. He hit .186 in 58 games between the two clubs, but he’d collect a third ring for his early-season work once the Dodgers repeated as champions. Taylor also achieved the 10-year service milestone last August, albeit while on the injured list.
Taylor re-signed with the Angels but was unable to snag a roster spot out of camp. After 32 games with Triple-A Salt Lake, he evidently decided he was prepared to call it a career. It’s unclear if that’s due to some kind of injury. Taylor played on Wednesday and departed in the sixth inning after being hit by a pitch in what’ll seemingly be his final professional plate appearance.
Over more than a decade in the Majors, Taylor tallied 860 hits and 110 home runs. He had a league average .248/.327/.419 batting line overall, though he was an above-average hitter for five straight seasons at his peak. His .247/.351/.441 postseason slash was superior to his regular season mark despite the higher quality of competition.
Taylor was a part of two World Series winners and four NL pennants in L.A., three of them as an everyday player. He also suited up at six positions — all three outfield spots and the infield positions to the left of first base — as a versatile defender. Baseball Reference and FanGraphs credited him with roughly 16-17 Wins Above Replacement, and he racked up nearly $78MM in earnings. Congratulations to Taylor on an excellent run and all the best in retirement.
Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images.