Phillies Claim Jackson Rutledge
The Phillies have claimed right-hander Jackson Rutledge off waivers from the Nationals, according to a team announcement. Rutledge has been optioned to Triple-A.
The Nationals designated Rutledge for assignment on Tuesday as part of a move to clear space for Max Kranick. In 2025, Rutledge threw 73 1/3 innings with a 5.77 ERA, a subpar 19.7% strikeout rate, and nearly two home runs allowed per nine innings. Under normal circumstances, he never would have lasted the year in the Majors, but the rebuilding Nationals could afford to give him reps. This year, Rutledge allowed seven earned runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 innings in his only appearance on April 13th. The club optioned him to Triple-A afterwards and kept him there until designating him for assignment.
More to come.
Dodgers To Select Wyatt Mills, Option Paul Gervase
The Dodgers are planning to select the contract of right-hander Wyatt Mills, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Mills is not on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move will be required. Paul Gervase is being optioned to clear space on the active roster.
More to come.
Orioles Claim Christian Roa
The Orioles have claimed right-hander Christian Roa off waivers from the Twins and optioned him to Triple-A, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports.
More to come.
Angels Sign Rob Kaminsky To Minor League Deal
The Angels have signed lefty reliever Rob Kaminsky to a minor league contract, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The deal gives the Halos a no-risk depth option for their bullpen.
Kaminsky began his career in the Cardinals’ system. He was drafted by St. Louis in the first round back in 2013 and was traded to Cleveland two years later in a deal for Brandon Moss. Kaminsky worked his way up to Triple-A with Cleveland in 2019 before electing minor league free agency. He went back to the Cardinals on a non-roster pact during the pandemic season. Kaminsky appeared in five games in the Majors in 2020, allowing one earned run in 4 2/3 innings and recording three strikeouts. Those are his only big league appearances as of now.
Kaminsky spent 2021 in the Phillies’ system, then 2022-24 with the Mariners. He returned to the Cardinals’ system once more in 2025 but only threw four innings across two levels. Apart from that, Kaminsky also pitched in the independent American League in 2024-25 as well as the World Baseball Classic in 2023 and 2026. He doesn’t strike out many hitters, but he has posted groundball rates in the 50-60% range at most levels in the minors. Kaminsky has well-below-average velocity, running a 90.1 MPH four-seamer in 2024. Given that limitation, if Kaminsky eventually returns to the Majors, his ability to induce grounders will be the key to his success.
For the Angels, there is zero risk in bringing Kaminsky into the organization as a depth flier. The club’s bullpen is one of the worst in the Majors with a 5.42 combined ERA. Jordan Romano was the nominal closer before being released and signing with the Rockies on a minors pact. Among the remaining arms, Ryan Zeferjahn is arguably the most valuable. He has a 4.58 ERA in 19 2/3 innings, though his 2.14 xERA and 2.72 FIP suggest he’s due for positive regression. Brent Suter and Sam Bachman both have ERAs under 4.00, as well as groundball rates over 50%. Kaminsky fits into the latter mold as a groundball specialist. It wouldn’t be totally out of the blue to see him called up at some point by the rebuilding Angels.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images
Giants Notes: Bader, Schmitt, Hentges
The 15-24 Giants are currently tied with the Mets for the worst record in the National League. The Giants’ offense and pitching staff have both been below-average to start the year, with the offense being the bigger culprit of the two for the team’s woes. On the whole, San Francisco is batting .241/.284/.357 with an 81 wRC+, the latter tying the Mets for worst in the Majors. On the plus side, Casey Schmitt has a 144 wRC+ through 128 plate appearances, while Luis Arraez is pairing his old-school hitting style with surprisingly strong defense. However, Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, and Willy Adames are all hitting poorly. Chapman “leads” those three with a 79 wRC+ in 160 plate appearances.
An X-factor in the Giants’ offense is center fielder Harrison Bader. The 31-year-old has been on the injured list since April 15 with a left hamstring strain, though Susan Slussler of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Bader is likely to come off the IL soon. If so, that would amount to about a month of missed time for the outfielder. Bader only made 55 plate appearances before he went down, but the club is hoping he can show some of his form from last year when he returns. In 501 plate appearances between the Twins and Phillies in 2025, Bader had career-best marks in wRC+ (122), wOBA (.346), and home runs (17).
There were some signs that Bader was lucky to hit so well. He batted .359 on balls in play, which was well above the league average. Bader’s .297 expected wOBA was also well below his actual mark of .346, while his 87.2 MPH average exit velocity ranked in just the 12th percentile in the Majors. There is also the matter that Bader has been a below-average hitter in most seasons, including every season from 2022-24 leading up to his 2025 breakout. In other words, Bader had a career season at the plate in 2025, but no one was expecting him to suddenly become a generational hitter.
The Giants would be happy if Bader was simply an average hitter. Between their starting outfield of Heliot Ramos, Drew Gilbert, and Jung Hoo Lee, only Ramos is even an average hitter. He currently has an even 100 wRC+ through 150 plate appearances, along with an unsustainable .368 average on balls in play. Lee is slightly below-average with a 96 wRC+, and his subpar defense isn’t helping his value either. Gilbert was a first-round draft pick by the Astros in 2022 and has some promise, but he has so far been outmatched in the Majors. The return of Bader wouldn’t be a huge upgrade for the team’s offense, whose fortunes depend on Chapman, Adames, and especially Devers returning to their career norms. That said, swapping in Bader for Gilbert in center would hopefully deepen the lineup with an average hitter, to say nothing of Bader’s exceptional defense.
Amid the struggles of the Giants’ star hitters, one of the bright spots has been the performance of Schmitt. With a 144 wRC+ in 129 plate appearances, Schmitt has been far and away the Giants’ best hitter of 2026. At the same time, he has mostly served as a DH, and those plate appearances may be hard to come by in the wake of Bryce Eldridge‘s recent promotion. That said, Sussler writes that Schmitt has been taking outfield reps during batting practice this week. That builds on prior comments from manager Tony Vitello, who said that Schmitt is athletic enough to handle the corner outfield if the team handles it “intelligently.”
Sussler clarifies that Schmitt is still an emergency option, and there are no immediate plans to play him in the outfield. Still, giving him outfield reps, even in a low-pressure setting, is a smart move on the part of the Giants. As tantalizing as Eldridge’s potential is, the club simply cannot afford to take Schmitt out of the lineup. For what it’s worth, the six-foot, 215-pound Schmitt’s sprint speed is in the 72nd percentile according to Statcast. He also has above-average arm strength. It remains to be seen how he might take to the outfield, but converting Schmitt into a utility player might be the best way to get him regular reps and leverage his defensive strengths.
Turning to the Giants’ pitching staff, Sussler reports that reliever Sam Hentges‘ rehab assignment is ending today. He is likely to be activated soon. The Giants’ bullpen has a decent-enough 3.85 ERA, although their combined 0.1 fWAR places them in the bottom ten relief units in the Majors. It remains to be seen how Hentges will impact that picture. The 6’8″ lefty pitched for Cleveland from 2021-24 and was generally solid in the latter three years. He underwent shoulder surgery in September 2024 and arthroscopic knee surgery in September 2025, but he now appears fully healthy. The keys to Hentges’ success will be generating groundballs, which he has done 53.4% of the time in his career, and recovering his mid-90s four-seam velocity.
Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
Orioles Designate Lou Trivino For Assignment, Recall Jose Espada
The Orioles have designated right-hander Lou Trivino for assignment, according to Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports. Right-hander Jose Espada is being recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding active roster move. With this news, the club’s 40-man roster is at 39 players.
Trivino had only signed a major league deal with Baltimore six days ago. He appeared in two games with radically different results. On May 4th against the Yankees, Trivino got lit up for six earned runs on four hits and three walks while recording just two outs. He was much better yesterday against the Athletics, striking out three hitters in 2 1/3 scoreless innings. Trivino’s designation suggests that the club was only looking for a short-term solution in the bullpen, or that they were not confident in his abilities after the May 4th blow-up. In any case, the move allows Baltimore to swap out Trivino for a fresh arm in Espada.
Trivino has well over seven years of service time and has been designated for assignment in the past. If he clears waivers, he is likely to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. That would continue Trivino’s journeyman pattern from 2025. He pitched for the Athletics and Yankees from 2018-22, but he did not appear in the Majors from 2023-24 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Trivino split last year between the Giants, Dodgers, and Phillies, posting a decent 3.97 ERA with middling peripherals. The Phillies re-signed Trivino to a minor league pact in February, and he opted out on May 1. He had pitched well with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate, which led the Orioles to give Trivino a major league deal. If and when he clears waivers, Trivino figures to land another opportunity on a minors deal.
The Orioles’ bullpen has been a mixed bag this year. Their 4.56 ERA puts the group in the bottom ten in the Majors, although their 3.87 xERA paints a slightly more favorable picture. Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano both have ERAs below 1.50, while Grant Wolfram has a shiny 0.98 FIP and may be due for positive regression on his 4.85 ERA. The group is generally devoid of difference-makers, though, and the addition of Espada won’t change that. The 29-year-old has only thrown five innings in the Majors from 2023-26. In 12 2/3 innings at Triple-A in 2026, Espada has a 5.68 ERA and is walking more hitters than he’s striking out. He has two options remaining and can be sent down when the Orioles need a fresh arm.
Photo courtesy of James A. Pittman, Imagn Images
Yankees Reinstate Carlos Rodón From Injured List
The Yankees have announced that they have activated Carlos Rodón off the 15-day injured list. Right-hander Kervin Castro was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Rodón will start today’s game against the Brewers.
Rodón underwent surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow in October and opened this season on the injured list to finish his recovery. He made his first rehab start near the end of April and was projected for two more before making his return to the Majors. That has now come to pass. Rodón built up to 6 1/3 innings in his most recent appearance with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate, so he is at more or less full strength. He now steps into New York’s rotation in a mid-rotation role behind Max Fried and Cam Schlittler.
The 2025 season was Rodón’s third with the Yankees. It was easily his best with the club, as he pitched to a 3.09 ERA over 195 1/3 innings with 203 strikeouts. Rodón also increased his groundball rate by about 10% and cut back on home runs, allowing just over one per nine innings after surrendering 31 homers the year before. Altogether, Rodón’s contributions were worth 3.2 fWAR and re-established his reputation among Yankees fans following injuries and underperformance in 2023-24.
Rodón won’t be expected to pitch at his 2025 levels right away, nor is that a grave need for the Yankees. Despite the absences of Rodón and Gerrit Cole, New York’s rotation has been the best in the league. The group’s 3.01 ERA leads the Majors, as does their combined 5.2 fWAR. Fried and Schlittler have both been excellent, with Schlittler’s 1.35 ERA leading the pack among qualified starters. Will Warren is striking out more hitters and issuing fewer walks than last year. Ryan Weathers has also done well as a complementary piece. It’s only a quarter of the way into the season, but those four are all performing as expected or within reasonable projections. The return of Rodón figures to make the group even stronger.
Former Rookie of the Year Luis Gil was recently optioned to Triple-A after struggling in four starts. He was later shut down with shoulder inflammation, so he won’t be returning any time soon. Paul Blackburn got a spot start in the meantime, though he will stick to his familiar long relief role going forward. The open rotation spot allows Rodón to step in without demoting another starter for now. Cole is still a few rehab starts from returning, so the next rotation move will probably come at that point, barring an injury.
Meanwhile, Castro is heading back to Triple-A after making an appearance on Friday in the series opener. In two innings, he allowed one earned run on two hits and struck out two hitters. Though unremarkable on its own, it was a personal milestone for Castro, as it marked his first appearance in the Majors since 2022 with the Cubs. He spent 2023 in the Tigers’ system but only made 10 appearances, and he missed all of 2024 while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. Castro’s demotion returns the Yankees’ bullpen from nine players to eight. As for Castro himself, he’ll stick around at Triple-A and could get another call when needed.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images
Bobby Cox Passes Away
The Braves announced that longtime manager Bobby Cox passed away at age 84. Cox led the Braves to the 1995 World Series title, and his 2504 wins rank fourth on the all-time list for managerial victories. As per the team’s official release to media….
“Bobby was a favorite among all in the baseball community, especially those who played for him. His wealth of knowledge on player development and the intricacies of managing the game were rewarded with the sport’s ultimate prize in 2014 – enshrinement into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
And while Bobby’s passion for the game was unparalleled, his love of baseball was exceeded only by his love for his family. It is with the heaviest of hearts that we send our sincerest condolences to his beloved wife, Pam, and their loving children and grandchildren.”
Before starting his journey to Cooperstown as a manager, Cox spent 12 seasons as a player, spending time in the farm systems of the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, and Braves. He broke into the majors for 220 games with the Yankees over the 1968-69 seasons, and the end of his playing career transitioned right into the start of his post-playing career — Cox appeared in four games with the Yankees’ A-ball affiliate in Fort Lauderdale in 1971 while also becoming the team’s manager. After six years of managing in the minors, Cox was the Yankees’ first base coach in 1977 when the team captured the World Series, earning Cox his first championship ring.
The Braves came calling with Cox’s first MLB managerial assignment, but Cox’s initial stint in Atlanta resulted in just one winning record over four seasons from 1978-81. Fired following the 1981 campaign, Cox landed in Toronto as the Blue Jays’ new manager, helping lead the recent expansion team to its first run of success. The peak was the AL East title in 1985, and yet after the Jays fell just shy of their first AL pennant, Cox opted to return to Atlanta, this time as the club’s general manager.
Cox’s five years as GM is an often overlooked chapter of his long tenure in Atlanta, in part because John Schuerholz took over following the 1990 season and was himself eventually elected to the Hall of Fame for his outstanding track record as an executive. But, while the Braves continued to sit below .500 during the 1986-90 seasons, Cox’s front office saw the team draft and acquire many of the players that would become franchise staples during the Braves’ forthcoming glory years.
Cox returned to the dugout partway through the 1990 season, and relinquished GM duties to Schuerholtz to focus solely on managing. With many of the pieces now in place, the Braves went from last place in the NL East in 1990 to NL champions in both 1991 and 1992.
As the media release simply put it, Cox’s “Braves managerial legacy will never be matched.” The 1991 campaign marked the beginning of 14 NL East titles over the next 15 seasons. The only interruption in this astonishing streak was the 1994 season, as the Braves were in second place behind the Expos when the players’ strike prematurely ended the season in August.
The World Series appearances in 91-92 were followed by three more pennants in 1995, 1996, and 1999. Championship glory came in 1995 when Atlanta outlasted Cleveland in six games, highlighted by a 1-0 win in the clinching Game Six that was powered by eight one-hit innings from Tom Glavine.
Atlanta’s NL East title streak finally ended in 2006 when the team went 79-83. Cox’s final five seasons as manager saw the Braves still post three winning records, and they made one final playoff appearance as a wild card team in 2010, falling in the NLDS to the eventual world champion Giants. Cox announced prior to the season that 2010 would be his final year in the dugout, and he remained involved with the Braves in an official and unofficial advisory role for years before health issues arose in the later years of his life.
Beyond his 2504-2001 managerial record, Cox also set an all-time benchmark that is unlikely to be topped — 162 career ejections, the most of any manager in history. Cox’s fiery personality and willingness to stand up for his teams made him both a beloved manager and even a mentor to many of his players, and the clubhouse cohesion (along with tremendous talent, of course) was a key factor in the Braves’ sustained success.
Between Cox’s passing and the passing of longtime Braves owner Ted Turner earlier this week, Atlanta has lost two baseball icons within a matter of days. Their legacies are intertwined amongst one of the greatest runs of sustained success in baseball history, and even after Cox and Turner were no longer directly involved with the organization, a clear path can be drawn between Cox’s teams and the successful Braves teams of recent years.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Cox’s family, friends, and many fans.
Mets Sign Xzavion Curry To Minor League Deal
The Mets have added right-hander Xzavion Curry on a minor league agreement, according to his MLB transaction tracker. The veteran appeared briefly with the Marlins last year. He opened this season with Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.
Curry has pitched in parts of the past four seasons with the Guardians and Marlins. He joined the Rockies’ organization midway through 2025 on a minor league deal, but didn’t reach the majors. Curry stumbled to a 7.97 ERA over eight starts with Triple-A Albuquerque.
Cleveland took Curry in the seventh round of the 2019 draft out of Georgia Tech. The righty missed all of 2019 with injury, then didn’t pitch in 2020 with the minor league season getting canceled. He would finally make his pro debut in 2021. Curry made quick work of the lower levels of the minors and reached the big leagues by 2022. He struggled in two starts that year, but emerged as a reliable member of the bullpen the following season. Curry posted a 4.07 across 95 innings in a swingman role.
Miami nabbed Curry off waivers in August 2024. He pitched well in nine appearances (one start), allowing six earned runs over 18 innings. Curry didn’t break camp with the club last season, but was called up in late March. He gave up a couple of runs over three frames and was sent back to Jacksonville in early April.
Curry’s pitch mix has shifted over his time in the big leagues, but the consistent theme has been a wide arsenal. He’s primarily relied on a four-seamer and two breaking balls. The veteran has also shown a changeup, splitter, and the occasional sweeper. Curry has an underwhelming 8.7% swinging-strike rate for his career. He’s struck out just 15.5% of the big leaguers he’s faced. Curry’s 4.38 career ERA comes with an xFIP and SIERA above 5.00.
Photo courtesy of Jim Rassol, Imagn Images
Orioles To Give Jackson Holliday Reps At Third Base During Rehab
Orioles infielder Jackson Holliday is expected to start at third base for Double-A Chesapeake on Sunday. It’ll be his third professional appearance at the hot corner. Holliday is working his way back from a hamate bone fracture. The 22-year-old has been almost exclusively a second baseman at the big-league level.
“We talked to him, see where his head is at, and he was for it,” manager Craig Albernaz told reporters, including Roch Kubatko of MASN. “I think if you look at our roster, versatility is something that we need.”
Holliday was one of three notable hamate injuries in the spring, along with Francisco Lindor and Corbin Carroll. While Lindor and Carroll were ready for Opening Day, Holliday has struggled to make it back to the majors. He’s had his rehab paused multiple times due to soreness in his surgically repaired hand. Holliday was in the Baysox lineup on Thursday after a two-week absence from minor league action.
It’s been three years since Holliday has appeared at third base. He played there for one game apiece at High-A and Double-A during the 2023 campaign. Holliday has made 188 starts at second base as a big leaguer. He’s made seven starts at shortstop. The defensive metrics have not been kind to Holliday. He posted -10 Defensive Runs Saved as Baltimore’s primary second baseman in 2025. Holliday ranked in the 5th percentile with -8 Outs Above Average. He’s been worth -2 DRS in his limited time at shortstop.
The Orioles haven’t just been missing Holliday in the infield this season. Third baseman Jordan Westburg has yet to suit up after being diagnosed with a partial UCL tear during Spring Training. He was recently shut down from baseball activities due to elbow pain, per Kubatko. Albernaz relayed that Westburg has a follow-up appointment on Monday.
Holliday’s injury opened up playing time for Jeremiah Jackson. The 26-year-old got off to a strong start as the primary option at the keystone. Jackson had a .768 OPS at the end of April, punctuated by a grand slam on the final day of the month. He’s just 3-for-23 so far in May, but he’s mostly held his own as an everyday player. Jackson has been worth 4 DRS at second base.
It hasn’t gone so well for Westburg’s replacement. Coby Mayo is hitting .163 with a 29.9% strikeout rate through 33 games. The 24-year-old has the seventh-lowest wRC+ (42) among hitters with at least 100 plate appearances. Mayo has posted -3 DRS at third base. He’s now at -7 DRS in 42 big-league games at the position. Weston Wilson and Blaze Alexander have also chipped in at third base, with uninspiring offensive results.
Getting Holliday up to speed at third base would give Albernaz the option to keep Jackson in the lineup. Jackson himself has big-league experience at the hot corner, but Baltimore may prefer to keep his glove at second base. At the very least, it’ll add some lineup flexibility once Holliday is ready to return.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images