Brewers To Promote Cooper Pratt
The Brewers are calling shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt up to the major leagues, as confirmed by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. There was plenty of “hug watch” social media buzz about Pratt’s possible promotion during Triple-A Nashville’s game today, as teammates were seen congratulating Pratt in the dugout during the sixth inning.
Pratt will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game, which will surely come on Tuesday when the Brewers host the Guardians. Pratt was already added to the 40-man roster when he finalized his eight-year, $50.75MM extension with the Brewers in early April, so only a 26-man roster move will need to made as the corresponding transaction on Tuesday.
The $50.75MM marked the third-largest extension ever guaranteed to a player without any Major League experience, and it came just a few days into Pratt’s first season of Triple-A ball. The Brewers wanted to give Pratt some more minor league seasoning before giving him a look in the majors, and the infielder has delivered an okay but unspectacular slash line of .244/.353/.392 over 258 PA with Nashville.
While the Brewers certainly aren’t going to rush Pratt before they think he’s ready for the Show, the total lack of offense being provided by starting shortstop Joey Ortiz is surely a factor in Milwaukee’s decision. Ortiz is still providing quality defense at short but is hitting only .207/.299/.262 over 170 plate appearances. Regular third baseman Luis Rengifo is posting similar numbers, so the entire left side of the infield has been a glaring weakness for the NL Central leaders.
David Hamilton has been getting an increasing share of the playing time at both third base and shortstop, so the Brewers’ plan could be to have Hamilton, Rengifo, and Ortiz in a timeshare at third base and in a bench role, while giving Pratt an everyday assignment in his first taste of the big leagues. The right-handed hitting Pratt has been a lot more productive against lefties than against righties at Triple-A, so the Brew Crew could also spell Pratt against some tougher right-handed pitching.
The pricey extension put a big spotlight on a player who was viewed as a solid but not necessarily blue-chip prospect heading into 2026. The preseason prospect rankings saw Pratt land 50th on Baseball America’s list, while MLB Pipeline (62nd), ESPN (70th), and The Athletic’s Keith Law (99th) were less bullish on the 21-year-old’s future potential.
Defensively, Pratt is considered to have a good enough glove to stick as a big league shortstop. He has also swiped 79 bags in 88 attempts over his minor league career, so Pratt should fit right into a speedy Brewers team. The question with Pratt is now well his bat can translate against MLB pitching, and his so-so results at Nashville haven’t done much to quiet the doubters.
Milwaukee obviously felt strongly enough about Pratt’s potential to lock him into such a big commitment, even if evaluators felt Pratt was maybe the fourth-best infielder in the Brewers’ farm system. Jesus Made is arguably the top prospect in all of baseball and Luis Pena and Jett Williams are also highly-touted top-100 types, though Pratt is viewed as the most polished defensive shortstop of the group.
Though naturally much can change over the long time, the Brewers might view their infield of the future as Pratt at shortstop, Made and Pena at second or third base in some combination, and Williams in the outfield. This scenario also assumes that Brice Turang will be (like so many established Brewers veterans) traded before he reaches free agency, but that day is a while away since Turang is arbitration-controlled through 2029.
There’s no such thing as having “too many” promising young infielders, of course, and the Brewers’ player development system continues to be the envy of most franchises. Milwaukee has been aggressive in locking up its top prospect to pre-career extensions, between Pratt, Jackson Chourio, and (just a few days ago) outfield prospect Luis Lara.
Giants Notes: Winn, Gage, Mahle, Ramos
The Giants placed right-hander Keaton Winn on the 15-day injured list, with a retroactive placement date of June 11. Right-hander Tristan Beck was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
Winn is dealing with a right elbow strain, though Giants manager Tony Vitello downplayed the seriousness of the strain when speaking with MLB.com’s Maria Guardado (separate links) and other reporters. The reliever could be able to start throwing again in a “handful” of days, as per Vitello, and it doesn’t appear as though an MRI revealed any notable structural damage.
As Guardado noted, even a seemingly minor elbow issue is notable given Winn’s injury history, which includes a Tommy John surgery and an ulnar nerve transposition surgery. His lack of durability was one reason San Francisco moved Winn (once a touted starting pitching prospect) into a relief role last year, and Winn has pitched pretty well coming out of the pen in 2026.
Over 30 2/3 innings this season, Winn has a 3.23 ERA, 21.8% strikeout rate, and 7.6% walk rate. A .235 BABIP has certainly contributed to Winn’s success, but hitters aren’t getting much on the ball when they do put it in play. Winn’s 27.7% hard-hit ball rate ranks in the 96th percentile of all pitchers, and his 4.8% barrel rate is also very strong.
Winn’s numbers were even better before a slump that saw the righty post an 8.53 ERA over his last five outings and 6 1/3 IP. That tough stretch included appearances in three straight games on June 6-8, and Winn was tagged for three runs in two-third of an inning in the last of those outings on June 8 (which was his last game before his IL stint).
These recent struggles aside, Winn has been one of the more reliable members of an overall inconsistent Giants bullpen. Beck is up in the majors for the third time this season and is looking to improve on a 9.00 ERA over his eight innings of MLB action. Left-hander Matt Gage also might not be far away from a return, as Gage began a minor league rehab assignment on Saturday. Gage posted a 2.63 ERA (albeit with some shaky peripherals) over his first 24 innings before a bout of knee inflammation sent him to the 15-day IL on June 2.
On the rotation front, Tyler Mahle is slated to begin a Triple-A rehab assignment today. Mahle hasn’t pitched since May 26, as a left hamstring strain sent him to the 15-day IL the next day. While it looks like the strain wasn’t too severe, the injury added to a tough beginning to Mahle’s San Francisco tenure.
After signing a one-year, $10MM free agent deal this past winter, Mahle posted a 6.04 ERA over his first 56 2/3 innings in the Giants rotation. Mahle’s 4.17 SIERA is more palatable and it reflects his .331 BABIP, but the right-hander hasn’t helped his cause by allowing 11 home runs.
Mahle will probably rejoin the rotation in place of Trevor McDonald, who has been a useful fill-in first for Logan Webb and now for Mahle. Guardado suggests that the trade deadline could factor into the Giants’ thinking in giving Mahle more time to right the ship as a starter, as an in-form Mahle is a natural trade candidate if the Giants can’t get back into contention.
Turning to position players, Guardado writes that Heliot Ramos could also be close to starting a rehab assignment. Ramos sustained a right quad strain while trying to make a sliding catch in the Giants’ 5-2 loss to the Athletics on May 15, but after a month of recovery time, Ramos’ baseball activity has progressed to the point that he looks to be nearing some on-field action in the minors. Ramos was hitting .267/.307/.424 with four homers in 176 PA at the time of his injury.
Twins Select Kyler Fedko, Designate Orlando Arcia
The Twins announced that they have selected the contract of outfield prospect Kyler Fedko from Triple-A St. Paul. Infielder Orlando Arcia was designated for assignment, creating space for Fedko on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.
Arcia signed a minor league deal with Minnesota in Janury, and his contract was selected to the active roster on May 19 when Royce Lewis was optioned down to Triple-A. With Lewis now back in the Show for over a week, the Twins will shuffle their position player alignment once more in bringing Fedko up as depth for both the outfield and perhaps in the infield mix. Fedko has a good deal of experience as a first baseman, and he had his first two professional appearances as a second baseman while playing for St. Paul this year.
A 12th-round pick for the Twins in the 2021 draft, Fedko isn’t ranked by either MLB Pipeline or Baseball America as a top-30 prospect within Minnesota’s farm system. Nevertheless, Fedko has now earned his first ticket to the majors on the strength of some very impressive hitting numbers over the last two seasons, including a .278/.364/.532 slash line and 23 home runs over 426 Triple-A plate appearances.
The 26-year-old Fedko can play all three outfield positions, and he has 47 stolen bases (out of 59 attempts) over the last two seasons at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. With a lot of his offensive production coming against southpaws, the right-handed hitting Fedko provides a natural complement to Trevor Larnach or Kody Clemens in the corner outfield slots. With Fedko now on hand, Clemens might get moved back to more regular infield duty rather than playing on the grass.
Arcia hit .271/.300/.354 over 50 PA for the Twins, which isn’t far off the .240/.292/.369 slash line he has posted over 3587 career PA over 11 Major League seasons. Formerly a regular with the Brewers and Braves, Arcia’s long career has included a World Series ring with Atlanta in 2021 and an All-Star appearance as recently as 2023, but he is best known as a defensive specialist in his heyday.
Since Arcia has more than enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment, he’ll get to make the next call on his future if he clears waivers. He can choose to remain with the Twins as a Triple-A depth piece, or elect free agency in lieu of an outright assignment and look for an opportunity elsewhere. For what it’s worth, Arcia already declined an opt-out opportunity in his minor league deal when he didn’t make Minnesota’s Opening Day roster, so he could be content again to stick with the organization and wait for his next selection.
Yankees Notes: Fried, Wells, Stanton
Lefty Max Fried continues to rehab from the left elbow bone bruise that sent him to the 15-day injured list last month. Today, manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, that Fried is scheduled to throw off a mound tomorrow. That follows recent imaging which showed Fried’s elbow has improved and sets him up to eventually begin a rehab assignment.
Fried had a 3.21 ERA in ten starts before the injury, continuing his dominance from last year, when he was worth 4.8 WAR according to FanGraphs and finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. The club’s official injury report has Fried returning at some point in July. Assuming he makes it back after the All-Star break, that would give Fried 12 to 13 more starts through the end of the season.
The rotation has fared well in Fried’s absence. Since May 14th, Yankees starters have a 3.49 ERA, which ranks fourth-best in the Majors. Cam Schlittler remains an early contender for the Cy Young Award, while Carlos Rodón and Will Warren have ERAs of 3.38 or better in that span. Gerrit Cole hasn’t quite recovered his strikeout stuff since returning from Tommy John surgery, but his velocity is at normal levels. Only Ryan Weathers has objectively struggled, running a 6.44 ERA in his last five starts.
New York’s end goal should be a playoff rotation of Schlittler, Fried, Cole, and Rodón. Knowing that and the club’s current position in first place in the AL East, the club will continue to exercise caution on Fried’s recovery. An exact timeline will be clearer when he begins a rehab assignment, though tomorrow’s plan of mound work marks a crucial first step.
Turning to the offense, Kirschner adds that catcher Austin Wells is expected to play in rehab games this week. That seems to put him on track for a return later this month, assuming no setbacks. Wells went on the IL on June 6th with cervical headaches, though he’s improved after an MRI on his neck came back negative on June 8th, per the team’s injury report.
Wells had been hitting poorly before the headaches, having a 53 wRC+ in 169 plate appearances. That’s a massive drop-off from last year’s mark of 94. Wells will eventually hit better than .206 on balls in play and could catch up to his .359 expected slugging percentage, which far exceeds his actual .255 slugging percentage. Still, the 2026 version of Wells is barely a replacement-level player, and that’s only due to his defense. Meanwhile, J.C. Escarra has been even worse (35 wRC+ in 79 plate appearances), and Ali Sánchez is a fringe player with a 20 wRC+ in 141 career plate appearances in the Majors. Given those options, it’s clear that New York needs some kind of upgrade behind the plate at the trade deadline.
In other news, Boone confirmed that Giancarlo Stanton will undergo imaging tomorrow on his ailing calf, as relayed by Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Reports from yesterday indicated that Stanton tweaked his calf again while running the bases. When asked if Stanton is back to square one in his rehab, Boone stated, “I don’t think so, but I don’t know that.” That response aside, it’s a fair bet that Stanton will need longer to recover based on his extensive injury history.
Photo courtesy of Mitch Stringer, Imagn Images
Royals Place Vinnie Pasquantino On IL With Hamate Fracture
1:56 pm: Pasquantino underwent surgery for the hamate fracture this morning, according to manager Matt Quatraro (via broadcaster Joel Goldberg). The timeline on Pasquantino is roughly four to six weeks.
10:00 am: The Royals have placed first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list with a right hamate fracture, per a team announcement. Outfielder John Rave is being recalled in a corresponding active roster move.
Pasquantino suffered the injury in the fifth inning of yesterday’s 8-7 loss to the Astros. Facing Houston’s Mike Burrows, Pasquantino swung at an inside pitch and popped out to third base. He immediately grimaced after the swing and ultimately left the game (video courtesy of MLB.com). Jac Caglianone slide from right field to first base, and Isaac Collins took Pasquantino’s spot in the lineup, playing left field.
The hamate fracture is the same injury suffered by the Twins’ Ryan Jeffers and more recently the Guardians’ José Ramírez. The Royals have not yet announced a timeline on Pasquantino, but as noted by MLBTR’s Steve Adams, hamate fractures tend to sideline players for four to five weeks. Jeffers landed on the IL on May 19th and is expected back in July, per the Twins’ official injury report. Others like Corbin Carroll and Francisco Lindor returned within the expected time frame, while the Orioles’ Jackson Holliday took about three months after experiencing setbacks.
At a minimum, Pasquantino will be out of action through the All-Star break. That will leave the Royals without a key player, albeit one who has struggled in 2026. Pasquantino has so far batted .224/.309/.350 in 291 plate appearances, which is 19% below average by wRC+. That’s a far cry from last year, when Pasquantino was 16% above average, and it’s easily the worst mark of his career. Adding in his subpar defense, the 28-year-old has been below replacement level this year.
Pasquantino’s drop in hard contact is the biggest culprit for his downturn at the plate. He had a 44.7% hard-hit rate last year, but that’s fallen to 37.7% in 2026, which ranks in the 34th percentile according to Statcast. Pasquantino is also running a career-low 88.5 MPH average exit velocity. There’s some evidence that he’s gotten unlucky, as Pasquantino’s .350 slugging percentage lags behind his .394 expected slugging. However, even the latter mark would be a career low, so the reality is that Pasquantino is both unlucky and a lesser hitter this year.
For now, the Royals will probably go with the alignment they used last night after Pasquantino’s exit: Caglianone at first base, then Collins and Lane Thomas in the outfield corners. Caglianone has rarely played first base in the Majors, though he played 516 innings there in the minors from 2024-25. Caglianone is hitting very well this year (118 wRC+), so he can get by if he’s even a passable defender. Offensively, the net result of Pasquantino’s injury is swapping him out for more of Thomas. The latter’s 99 wRC+ is technically below average but still exceeds Pasquantino’s output this year.
In the meantime, Rave gets called up to fill in as a backup outfielder. Rave, a fifth-round draft pick by Kansas City in 2019, debuted last year and batted .196/.283/.307 in 175 plate appearances, which amounted to a 65 wRC+. In contrast, he’s batted .278/.395/.475 with a 126 wRC+ at Triple-A this year, his third straight season of above-average output at that level. Rave has two option years remaining and will probably get sent down when Pasquantino returns.
Photo courtesy of Denny Medley, Imagn Images
Reds Notes: Greene, Johnson, Pagán, Trevino, Haggerty
The Reds have gone 3-7 in their last ten games, bringing them to 33-36 on the season and last place in the NL Central. Neither the pitching nor the offense have been especially good this year, with the team’s rotation, bullpen, and lineup all placing in the Bottom 10 in the league by fWAR. A key factor on the rotation side is the health of Hunter Greene. According to Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie’s Chalkboard, Greene will begin a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on June 18th.
Greene underwent surgery in March to remove bone chips from his throwing elbow. He was accordingly placed on the 60-day injured list before the season began. Based on earlier comments from manager Terry Francona, the plan is for Greene to return before the All-Star break. Assuming he requires four rehab starts, Greene could return for the June 7-9 series against the Phillies or from June 10-12 versus the Cubs. In either case, he’d made his second start after the All-Star break.
Greene pitched to a 2.76 ERA in 45 starts from 2024-25, missing time due to right elbow soreness and then a groin strain. He struck out 29.2% of opposing hitters in that span and held them to just a .596 OPS. That performance confirmed that Greene could dominate in the Majors if only he could stay healthy. He’s not had the chance to do that in 2026, but Greene should re-assume his role as the ace upon his return.
Chase Burns – who, like Greene, is a former No. 2 overall pick – has stepped up admirably in the meantime. In 75 2/3 innings, Burns has a 2.14 ERA and a 29.6% strikeout rate. The former is fourth-best among qualified starters, while the latter ranks third-best, just ahead of reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes. Beyond Burns, Andrew Abbott is the team’s only other qualified starter, and his 4.10 ERA is decent but hardly inspiring. Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, and Rhett Lowder currently occupy the other three rotation spots. They range from just okay (Lowder) to below replacement level (Singer and Lodolo). Greene’s eventual return will benefit the group overall by shifting those three lower in the pecking order.
A couple bullpen arms are on the mend as well, with Goldsmith adding that Pierce Johnson and Emilio Pagán will throw live batting practice on Monday and Friday, respectively. Johnson, who came to the Reds on a one-year deal this offseason, had a 3.27 ERA in 22 innings before going down with right elbow inflammation on May 30th. His 21.7% strikeout rate is his lowest since 2018 and a 3.1% drop from last year’s mark with the Braves. Johnson’s 4.01 SIERA paints him as a middle reliever, and that’s probably the role he’ll take once he gets back.
Pagán, out since May 6th with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, will probably require more time than Johnson. After suffering his injury, Pagán told reporters he expected to be out for four to eight weeks. This Wednesday will mark six weeks since his IL placement, so an early July return could be a reasonable target depending on how long of a rehab assignment he needs. Pagán struggled badly in 14 innings pre-injury, but he had a 2.88 ERA and 32 saves last year, so he’ll serve as the closer when he returns.
Turning to the offense, the Reds announced this morning that catcher Jose Trevino was activated from the 10-day injured list, with P.J. Higgins optioned to Triple-A. Trevino returns after a month-long absence due to a left hamstring strain. He’s only made 32 plate appearances around two IL stints, the other being for a thoracic spine strain in April. Higgins didn’t do much to fill in while Trevino was out, recording four hits in a scattered 16 at-bats. Higgins could be designated and outrighted if a 40-man spot is needed, though he could refuse it after being outrighted last month.
In minor news, utilityman Sam Haggerty has joined the organization on a minor league deal, according to an announcement from the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate. Haggerty was released by the Rangers a week ago after they designated him for assignment. Haggerty has a 12 wRC+ in 47 plate appearances this year but was right around average in 182 PA last year. A switch-hitter, Haggerty has a 119 career wRC+ against southpaws and is a reasonable, no-risk depth pickup.
Photo courtesy of Katie Stratman, Imagn Images
Padres Select Blake Hunt, Designate Ty Adcock For Assignment
The Padres have selected the contract of catcher Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso, according to a team announcement. Catcher Freddy Fermin is going on the 7-day concussion injured list in the meantime. To clear room for Hunt on the 40-man roster, right-hander Ty Adcock is being designated for assignment.
Fermin was warming up reliever Yuki Matsui for the bottom of the sixth when Matsui spiked a pitch in the dirt. Fermin turned his head and the ball struck him on the left side of his head after the bounce. Rodolfo Durán took over for Fermin behind the plate. Manager Craig Stammen described Fermin’s injury as more severe than that of Xander Bogaerts, as relayed by Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Sports Association. Bogaerts was drilled in the head by the Orioles’ Trey Gibson in the top of the fifth and eventually left the game as well.
Stammen added that Fermin has been hit a lot this season, so the team will proceed with caution. Durán will start behind the plate in the meantime, with Hunt serving as his backup. Hunt, 28, will be making his major league debut when he gets into a game. The Padres drafted him in Competitive Balance Round B back in 2017. Hunt stayed in the organization through 2019 before minor league contests were canceled during the COVID season. He was traded to the Rays in the Blake Snell deal and also made stops in the Orioles and Mariners organizations before making his way back to San Diego this year.
Hunt has only made 58 plate appearances this year thanks to an oblique injury which put him on the 60-day injured list through May 17th. He was solid last year, hitting .272/.368/.452 with a 108 wRC+ in 280 plate appearances for the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate. Hunt showcased decent power in that time, hitting eight home runs and running a .180 isolated slugging percentage, although he also benefited from a .331 average on balls in play.
The Padres now have four catchers on the 40-man roster including Hunt. More than likely, the career minor leaguer is in for a short stint in the Majors. Luis Campusano is currently out with a left big toe fracture. He has not yet started a rehab assignment, although the team’s official injury report has him coming back later this month. Campusano is also out of options. In the long term, if the Padres only want to carry three catchers on the 40-man roster, one option would be to option Fermin and designate Hunt for assignment. In any case, Hunt’s lack of big league experience could make him the odd man out behind Durán, Campusano, and Fermin.
Adcock, 29, loses his 40-man roster spot and will now be put up on waivers. He has not appeared in the Majors this year, and his big league resume consists of just 23 innings with a 5.48 ERA from 2023-25. Adcock has an ugly 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 minor league innings this year, and he’s never had an ERA below 4.66 in a full season at Triple-A. Having been outrighted by the Mets last year, Adcock would have the right to refuse an outright this time around if he goes unclaimed, which seems likely.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
Jose Ramirez Placed on IL With Hamate Fracture
TODAY, 9:53 am: The move is now official, as reflected in the MLB.com transactions log.
TODAY, 9:34 am: Meisel adds that Gabriel Arias will be activated from the 60-day injured list when Ramirez’s placement is officially announced. Meanwhile, George Valera will be designated for assignment to clear 40-man space for Arias.
June 13th: The Guardians are expected to place superstar third baseman Jose Ramirez on the injured list with a left hamate bone fracture, according to multiple reports, including from Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Ramirez was removed in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game against the Tigers after popping out in his third at-bat.
It’s brutal news for a Cleveland club that just moved back into first place with a win over Detroit, along with a loss by the White Sox. Ramirez is having a slightly underwhelming season by his lofty standards, with a .754 OPS heading into Saturday, but he’s a consistent presence in the middle of the Guardians’ lineup. The veteran has played in all 72 games this season. Ramirez has also been a menace on the basepaths, with an AL-leading 24 steals.
Ramirez wasn’t the only key piece to depart on Saturday. Outfielders Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez also left early. DeLauter crashed into the wall in the top of the first inning. He initially stayed in the game, singling off Tarik Skubal in the bottom of the frame, but was removed for a pinch runner. He’s dealing with a bruised rib cage (h/t Tim Stebbins of MLB.com). Martinez fouled a ball off his foot in his first at-bat. He was removed defensively to begin the second inning.
Already down two outfielders, the departure of Ramirez put the Guardians in a tricky spot. Daniel Schneemann, who replaced DeLauter, had to move to third base. Kyle Manzardo replaced Ramirez in the lineup and went to first base. That pushed Rhys Hoskins to left field. It was his first appearance in the outfield since 2018. Cleveland then sacrificed the DH to bring David Fry into the field for the ninth inning. Closer Cade Smith was forced into the batting lineup. Smith slammed the door for the save, so manager Stephen Vogt didn’t need to navigate that lineup spot.
Ramirez is likely facing an extended absence. Recovery from a fractured hamate bone can vary, but it’ll probably cost the seven-time All-Star at least a month. There were three high-profile hamate bone fractures this spring. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll both made it back in time for the regular season. Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday‘s comeback didn’t go as smoothly. Holliday dealt with multiple setbacks during his rehab assignment and didn’t return to the big-league club until mid-May. Ramirez himself missed almost exactly a month with the injury back in 2019.
Schneemann is a good candidate to fill in at third base with Ramirez out. He’s typically handled the hot corner when Ramirez has served as the DH. The infielders on the 40-man roster include CJ Kayfus, Juan Brito, and Angel Genao. Brito was up with the team earlier this season and has experience at third base, though he hasn’t played there as a big leaguer. He manned second base before Travis Bazzana was promoted.
Photo courtesy of David Richard, Imagn Images
Astros Notes: Javier, Blanco, McCullers, Diaz
The Astros’ rotation has been utterly decimated by injury this year, as ace Hunter Brown and others have missed significant time. Unsurprisingly, the rotation has been one of the league’s worst. Astros starters have put up a fourth-worst 9.6% K-BB rate along with a 5.02 ERA that bests only the Rockies. Although the team is just three games out of a Wild Card spot, it’s clear that any path back to the postseason (let alone a deep playoff run) will require better health and performance from the starting rotation.
Brian McTaggart of MLB.com offered updates on three of the supporting arms yesterday. As relayed by manager Joe Espada, it looks as though Cristian Javier, Ronel Blanco, and Lance McCullers Jr. are all making progress in their rehab. Javier (Grade 2 right shoulder strain) has been on the injured list since early April, and McCullers (right shoulder inflammation) since May 19th. Blanco underwent Tommy John surgery last June and could return in the second half, assuming a normal recovery timeline.
Javier is the closest of the three to a big league return, with MLB.com’s official injury report putting him on a late June timeline. Javier only made three starts early on before going on the IL. While his velocity was essentially unchanged from last year, Javier struggled badly and allowed 13 earned runs in 9 1/3 total innings, striking out just four against nine walks allowed.
The IL stint continued a frustrating recent stretch of Javier’s career. From 2020-23, he had a 3.57 ERA in 466 1/3 innings across 109 appearances, 75 of which were starts. Javier was an extreme fly-ball pitcher, but he compensated by striking out 28.1% of opposing hitters in that span. In contrast, Javier has thrown just 81 innings since the start of 2024, with the bulk of that absence coming from June 2024 Tommy John surgery and the associated recovery. He has a 5.22 ERA in those 81 innings.
Javier is still younger than 30, but it’s now been three years since he’s been a healthy and serviceable big league starter. That said, his return could still be impactful by allowing Houston to demote an ineffective arm like Mike Burrows, who has a 5.87 ERA in 14 starts. The team has a good amount of off-days in July and August even outside the All-Star break, so a five-man rotation could be all that’s needed long term. Javier pitched three innings on June 9th and will probably aim for at least four today at Triple-A. At the rate he’s building up, he might need one more start after today before returning to Houston.
Meanwhile, Blanco threw 40 pitches in a simulated appearance yesterday and could soon begin his own rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, according to McTaggart. Given he’s coming back from TJS, Blanco’s rehab will be closer to the maximum stint than Javier. For comparison, Gerrit Cole required six rehab starts from mid-April to mid-May before the Yankees activated him on May 22nd.
Of the three arms mentioned by McTaggart, Blanco has the most recent track record of effective pitching. The righty broke out with a 2.80 ERA in 167 1/3 innings in 2024. Blanco was a bit lucky to achieve that performance, as evidenced by his 3.97 xERA and 4.17 SIERA, but he was nonetheless a serviceable arm and accumulated 2.2 fWAR that year. Blanco has less than three years of service time and is controlled through 2029, so he has plenty of time to re-establish himself post-injury.
In contrast to Javier and Blanco, McCullers has not been healthy or effective in a while. He’s also the furthest from a big league return, as McTaggart relays that McCullers has just begun throwing off a mound. Now 32, McCullers has only thrown 142 1/3 innings since the start of 2022, missing 2023-24 entirely. He did have a 2.27 ERA in eight starts in 2022, but simply coming back and staying healthy is the priority for McCullers, who’s a free agent following the season.
On the hitting side, McTaggart adds that catcher Yainer Diaz will catch for Javier’s Triple-A rehab start today. Diaz could return to the Astros for the upcoming home series against the Tigers. He’s been out since early May with a left oblique strain and was hitting .238/.255/.347 in 107 plate appearances prior to that, good for a wRC+ of just 63. Diaz was much closer to average in 2025 (92 wRC+). Christian Vázquez isn’t hitting much in Diaz’s place, so the latter will be in line to reclaim his starting job when he gets back.
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images
The Opener: Yamamoto, Jordan, Mize
The Phillies outlasted the Brewers for a 9-8 win yesterday, moving Philadelphia to a 38-32 record. The two clubs combined for 29 hits, and every member of the Phillies’ starting lineup reached base at least once, with all but Bryce Harper recording a hit. Today’s contest figures to be more of a pitchers’ duel. Cristopher Sánchez, an early contender for the NL Cy Young Award, takes on Milwaukee’s Kyle Harrison, who’s in the midst of a breakout season with a 2.72 ERA in 12 starts.
1. Yamamoto’s perfect game bid
Yoshinobu Yamamoto dominated the White Sox in a 7-1 victory for the Dodgers yesterday. Yamamoto took a perfect game bid into the eighth inning, losing it on a fielding error by Mookie Betts with two outs. Yamamoto surrendered a lead-off home run to Tristan Peters in the ninth, ultimately exiting after 8 1/3 innings and just the one earned run. Adding in the final 22 batters he retired in his previous start against the Angels, Yamamoto set down 45 straight before losing the perfecto on Saturday. That fell just shy of the all-time record of 46 straight batters, set by Yusmeiro Petit in 2014.
2. Jordan’s first career big fly
In just his second big league game, Cardinals third baseman Blaze Jordan went yard for his first career home run. The three-run shot in the seventh gave St. Louis much-needed insurance runs in an eventual 9-6 victory over the Twins. Jordan also added a triple in the second inning, giving him four hits in eight total at-bats and leaving him only without a double so far. The Cardinals acquired Jordan, a third-round pick by the Red Sox in 2020, in exchange for Steven Matz at last year’s deadline.
3. Mize makes his return
Right-hander Casey Mize will start for the Tigers in today’s matchup against the Guardians. Reports on Thursday indicated that Detroit would activate Mize off the injured list for today’s game, though an official move is still pending. Mize will return after a two-week absence due to right adductor inflammation. He also went on the IL from April 29th through May 16th with a right adductor strain. In nine starts around those IL stints, Mize was at his best, posting a 2.27 ERA in 47 2/3 innings and running a 20.0% K-BB rate. His return, along with the recent return of Tarik Skubal, will be massive boons to Detroit’s rotation as they look to climb out of fourth place in the AL Central.
Photo courtesy of David Banks, Imagn Images