Blue Jays Select Chad Dallas, Outright Tanner Andrews
TODAY: Andrews has cleared waivers, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Toronto has assigned him outright to Triple-A Buffalo. Andrews does not have the requisite service time to reject the assignment, nor has he been previously outrighted. As a result, he will stay in the organization.
June 4: The Blue Jays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Chad Dallas. Fellow righty Hayden Juenger has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Tanner Andrews has been designated for assignment.
Dallas, 26 later this month, was a fourth-round pick of the Jays in 2021. He put himself on the prospect map with a strong 2023, making 23 starts between High-A and Double-A. He logged 123 1/3 innings, allowing 3.65 earned runs per nine. He struck out 27.9% of batters faced, walked 9.5% of opponents and induced grounders on 44.3% of balls in play.
Going into 2024, Baseball America ranked him the #14 prospect in the system. FanGraphs put him 16th. He could have been in line to make his major league debut that year but his health intervened. He struggled at Triple-A around a few stints on the injured list and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in September. He missed the entire 2025 season. Here in 2026, he has been back on the mound and has logged 36 innings for Triple-A Buffalo with a 4.50 ERA, 24.1% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 41.7% ground ball rate.
In the long term, Dallas might end up as a reliever. His best pitch is his slider while he doesn’t have a great weapon against lefties. For now, he’s still stretched out and the Jays need the innings, as their rotation has been decimated by injuries this year. José Berríos, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis are done for the season. Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and Lazaro Estrada are also on the IL. Jake Bloss is still recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Prospect Ricky Tiedemann is still in the injury wilderness.
Due to all those absences, the Jays have been rolling with a hollowed-out rotation. Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Patrick Corbin are the three traditional starters. The Jays have also been deploying frequent bullpen games with Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles working as a bulk guy in those. Until recently, they had Cease in the mix as well but his hamstring strain further cut into the group and has necessitated even more depth arms getting into the mix. Austin Voth was called up for an emergency bulk outing last week but was quickly bumped off the roster after.
Left-hander Mason Fluharty is technically starting tonight’s game but Dallas will probably be working bulk innings behind him. Since this is the first time Dallas has been called up to the majors, he has a full slate of options. He will likely be sent back to Buffalo after this. The Jays acquired Simeon Woods Richardson yesterday. He has not yet joined the active roster but could perhaps link up with the team in Toronto tomorrow. The Jays also might get Cease back soon. He is expected to make a rehab start tonight and might only need that one game before being activated next week. They also have Scherzer, Bieber, Estrada and Bloss out on rehab assignments at the moment.
Andrews is a 30-year-old minor league journeyman. He spent time in the farm systems of the Marlins, Giants and Twins before signing a minor league deal with the Jays coming into this year. The Jays added him to the roster when Cease hit the IL. He made two scoreless appearances before being optioned back down to Triple-A Buffalo.
He now heads into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Jays could take five days to explore trade interest, though they could also put him on waivers sooner than that. He posted a 6.02 ERA in the minors from 2023 to 2025 but has a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings this year. That’s thanks to a fortunate .220 batting average on balls in play and 94% strand rate. His 4.26 FIP suggests his results would be less impressive with more neutral luck.
Photo courtesy of Mike Watters, Imagn Images
Giants Release Ryan Borucki
TODAY: The Giants have released Borucki, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. Borucki is now a free agent and free to sign with any club.
May 31: The Giants have designated left-hander Ryan Borucki for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Jonah Cox from Double-A Richmond, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser. Outfielder Will Brennan has also been optioned to Triple-A, with righty Tristan Beck recalled in his place.
After being cut by the White Sox near the end of Spring Training, Borucki quickly caught on with the Giants on a big league contract. The results haven’t been there for Borucki in his ninth MLB season, as the southpaw has a 4.94 ERA, 14.4% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate across 23 2/3 relief innings. Just when it seemed like Borucki was getting on track after a shaky start to the season, he gave up five earned runs over his last three outings and 5 1/3 innings of work.
As usual, Borucki has drastic splits, as left-handed batters have only a .550 OPS against him this season (while righty batters have a whopping 1.085 OPS). A team in need of southpaw relief help could be inclined to claim Borucki off San Francisco’s waiver wire, but the likelier scenario is that he’ll clear waivers and then be outrighted to Triple-A. Borucki has been outrighted in the past, so he can elect free agency rather than accept that assignment.
The 24-year-old Cox will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game, and Cox will get his first taste of the Show before even getting a look at the Triple-A level. It seems like Cox’s superb performance in Richmond couldn’t be ignored, as Cox is hitting .400/.453/.644 with six home runs and 27 steals (in 34 attempts) over 183 Double-A plate appearances.
Cox has never posted anything close to these numbers in his previous three minor league seasons, and he is surely getting a lot of help from an eye-opening .464 BABIP. That said, Cox’s elite speed has helped him generate large BABIPs in the past, and he has drastically cut back on his strikeout rate to 16.9% in Double-A ball.
The bat has been the only question mark about Cox’s game, as his defense and speed were already seen as ready for primetime. Those plus skills alone make Cox a viable bench piece for the Giants and perhaps a platoon partner for Drew Gilbert in center field, even if there’s bound to be a learning curve as Cox makes the big jump from facing Double-A pitching to big league arms. The Giants rank last in baseball in stolen bases, so Cox should provide an immediate boost on the basepaths.
Baseball America ranks Cox 21st on their list of Giants prospects. Cox was a sixth-round pick for the Athletics in the 2023 draft, and he was dealt to San Francisco in the February 2024 trade that sent Ross Stripling to the A’s.
Cardinals Notes: Dobbins, Six-Man Rotation, Urías
Cardinals right-hander Hunter Dobbins will serve as a traditional starter in his next appearance, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Dobbins has worked as a bulk reliever in two appearances since being recalled one week ago. With his move to the rotation, Goold adds that St. Louis will adopt a six-man rotation for the time being.
Dobbins allowed a single earned run in 3 2/3 innings on May 31st. He followed that with five scoreless innings behind Kyle Leahy on Friday, earning the win in that game. Dobbins started 11 of his 13 appearances for the Red Sox last year, in addition to starting all but three of his career appearances in the minors. His long-term future is undoubtedly in the Cardinals’ rotation, so the six-man arrangement will help to ease Dobbins’ workload as a starter after his still-recent right ACL reconstructive surgery.
The change also benefits the Cardinals’ other starters beyond Dobbins. St. Louis has an off day tomorrow, followed by 32 games in 34 days from June 9th until the All-Star break. Cardinals’ starters have been surprisingly healthy in 2026, with Dustin May, Matthew Liberatore, Michael McGreevy, Andre Pallante, and Leahy all making at least 12 starts. That said, major league clubs rarely survive the entire season with just five starters. May, who leads the group with 1.4 fWAR, has an extensive injury history, including a lost 2024 (flexor tendon surgery) and season-ending right elbow neuritis in 2025.
Ideally, using six starters will keep Dobbins, May, and the others healthy during a busy stretch of the schedule. The Cardinals will also be hoping for improved performances from the group. Liberatore has a 4.48 ERA and an expected mark over 5.00, while McGreevy’s 2.98 ERA is nearly three runs below his 5.68 xERA. Leahy is in a similar spot, with an expected figure over 6.50. On the flip side, May has a 4.59 ERA but a 3.36 FIP, so he could be due for regression. Pallante’s 3.96 ERA is decent and right in line with his expected numbers.
It’s unclear from Goold’s report how long the six-man rotation will last. The Cardinals have more frequent off-days in late July and August, so they may only need five starters at that point. In any event, continued health and improved performance out of the rotation will be critical to the team’s playoff hopes. St. Louis is second behind the Brewers in the NL Central, and the Redbirds currently hold the top NL Wild Card spot. The lineup’s 102 wRC+ is middle-of-the-pack, while the rotation and bullpen both rank 20th in the Majors by fWAR. By that measure, the pitching staff is the clear area for improvement.
In other Cardinals news, rehabbing infielder Ramón Urías is now dealing with a left elbow issue, according to Brenden Schaeffer of MLB.com. Urías landed on the 15-day injured list on May 5th with a case of right elbow lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). This new issue is similar to that injury, per Schaeffer, so Urías figures to be out for longer than expected, pending further evaluation in St. Louis.
Urías joined the Cardinals on a modest $2MM deal during spring training. He struggled in a small sample of 68 plate appearances before the right elbow injury, batting .158/.279/.316 with a 74 wRC+. That followed an 87 wRC+ in 391 plate appearances in 2025, which Urías split between the Orioles and Astros. He was average or better at the plate for Baltimore from 2021-24.
When he returns, Urías will factor in as a backup infielder. José Fermín can technically play the infield, but he’s mostly been used in left field this year. Fermín is also out of options. In contrast, Bryan Torres has three options remaining and could be sent down if needed. That would leave Urías as a backup infielder and Fermín and the out-of-options Nelson Velázquez as backup outfielders.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images
Pirates Select Davis Wendzel, Transfer Chris Devenski To 60-Day IL
The Pirates announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Davis Wendzel from Triple-A Indianapolis. Outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia is being optioned in Wendzel’s place. To clear space on the 40-man roster, reliever Chris Devenski is being transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Wendzel signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh in December and was a non-roster invite to spring training. In 211 plate appearances at Triple-A this year, he’s batting .246/.360/.491 with nine home runs and a 123 wRC+. That continues a run of decent minor league hitting for Wendzel, as he’s been average or better at Triple-A since 2024. Wendzel’s track record in the Majors is much thinner. He appeared in 27 games for the Rangers in 2024, managing just six hits in 49 plate appearances.
Wendzel typically plays third base or shortstop, though he’s unlikely to get much time at the hot corner. Nick Gonzales has a 115 wRC+ in 238 plate appearances as the Pirates’ main third baseman. Wendzel is more likely to see time at shortstop, if only a little. Jared Triolo is covering for the injured Konnor Griffin at the moment. Triolo has a 57 wRC+ this year that is virtually unplayable, and while he’s a good defender at second and third, he’s been worth -6 Defensive Runs Saved in 588 2/3 career innings at short. At the same time, Wendzel is entirely unproven in the Majors, so his selection is more about giving the Pirates a second backup infielder (Tyler Callihan being more of a utility type) than seriously challenging for playing time.
Devenski’s move to the 60-day IL clears a roster spot for Wendzel and puts Devenski out until early July. The right-hander went on the 15-day IL on May 7th after serving a two-game suspension for intentionally throwing at the Reds’ Sal Stewart a few days earlier. Devenski’s injury was undisclosed at the time, and that remains the case one month later. His transfer to the 60-day IL is backdated to the original placement, so Devenski can return during the July 7-9 home series against the Braves if he is ready.
As for Garcia, he heads down to Triple-A after a roughly three-week stint in the Majors. The 23-year-old got into 13 games since being recalled on May 19th. He batted .200/.243/.229 in 37 plate appearances, which amounts to just a 32 wRC+. Garcia hasn’t played much in the minors this year thanks to a back injury in mid-April, which sidelined him for a month. Still, Garcia is a former Top-100 prospect and ranks No. 4 in the Pirates’ Top-30, according to MLB.com. He’ll get regular work at Triple-A for the time being and will surely get called up again at some point.
Photo courtesy of Reggie Hildred, Imagn Images
Mets Pause Jorge Polanco’s Rehab Due To Ankle Soreness
Jorge Polanco has been on the injured list since mid-April due to a right wrist contusion. He began a rehab assignment at Double-A Binghamton on May 27th and recently moved up to Triple-A Syracuse. However, the Mets announced last night that Polanco’s rehab is being paused due to him experiencing ankle soreness during a running progression. Polanco is being sent for further evaluation.
The new ankle injury continues a frustrating first season in New York for Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40MM contract in December. Polanco only got into 14 games before landing on the IL, batting .179/.246/.286 with a 53 wRC+. He was plagued by left Achilles soreness in that time, which likely contributed to the downturn. Polanco served as the designated hitter in 12 games and played first base in the other two before the wrist injury cropped up. Juan Soto and MJ Melendez have covered DH in the meantime. Mark Vientos has been the primary option at first base.
At this point, it’s hard to tell when Polanco might return from the IL. The Mets will probably proceed with caution in light of Polanco’s renewed ankle issues. There’s also little urgency to bring him back given how badly the team is struggling. New York is in last place in the NL East with a 28-36 record, and they’re already 15.5 games back of the MLB-best Braves. Polanco is probably better than a 53 wRC+ hitter, but even if he were healthy, he alone wouldn’t be enough to overcome the Mets’ offensive woes. An updated timeline on Polanco should be known after the tests are completed.
The Mets’ offense has been one of the league’s worst in 2026, with the group’s 87 wRC+ topping only the Rockies and Padres. Soto is predictably excellent, while Carson Benge, the second-best qualified hitter, has a 97 wRC+ that puts him slightly below average. The other four qualified bats – Brett Baty, Marcus Semien, Bo Bichette, and Vientos – are 17-27% worse than average by wRC+. For Mets fans, it’s uninspiring to see Polanco injured while Pete Alonso (who Polanco effectively replaced on the roster) is hitting well in Baltimore. At the end of the day, though, the team’s inability to hit this year goes far beyond Polanco.
The path to respectable hitting will depend on the non-Soto hitters playing up to their true potential. Benge, the club’s No. 3 prospect in 2025 according to MLB.com, will obviously get more time to establish himself in the Majors. Bichette’s batting average, slugging percentage, and wOBA are all at least 50 points behind his expected numbers, so he should improve eventually. Vientos is batting .243 on balls in play, which is well below league average. Baty and Semien are less likely to improve, given the former’s thin offensive track record and the latter’s continued decline in his mid-30s.
Photo courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Imagn Images
Cubs Notes: Trade Deadline, Swanson, Wantz
The Cubs are at an even 5-5 since May 27th, though the team is currently tied for third place in the NL Central and 6.5 games back of the Brewers for first place. Since May 16th, which marked the start of a 10-game losing streak, the Cubs’ pitching staff and lineup have both struggled more than usual. Cubs starters are 2-12 in their last 20 games and have a 7.11 ERA that ranks dead last in the Majors. Meanwhile, the hitters are batting .223/.311/.360 with a 93 wRC+ in that span.
In light of those recent struggles, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer was asked about the team’s approach to the August 3rd trade deadline. In response, Hoyer told Jesse Rogers of ESPN and others, “We’ll be looking at pitching at that point. [But] sitting here talking about the deadline, given how we’ve played, is the wrong thing to talk about.” Hoyer also called the team’s position player group a key strength while doubling down on the trade deadline being “the furthest thing from my mind.”
The comment around pitching is understandable, as nearly every contender looks to add fresh arms at the deadline. Barring a total collapse, the Cubs can expect to be buyers this year. They’re currently just behind the Padres for the last NL Wild Card spot and have a favorable schedule in June, with 14 games left against the Giants, Rockies, and Mets. FanGraphs gives Chicago a 47.0% chance of making the playoffs right now.
Still, it might be wise for the Cubs’ front office to show greater urgency about making additions. The rotation has struggled this year even beyond the current slide. The group’s 4.81 ERA is tied with the Astros for second-worst in the Majors, with only Rockies’ starters performing worse. While Cubs starters are average or better at getting strikeouts and limiting walks, they’re also allowing hard contact 37.0% of the time, which ranks third-worst. They rank second-worst (ahead of the Athletics) with 1.65 home runs allowed per nine innings.
It’s hard to see much improvement if the club simply stays the course with existing options. Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon are the Cubs’ only qualified starters. Both have ERAs over 4.70 and opponents’ averages on balls in play in the .230 range, suggesting they’ve been lucky to achieve even those results. Edward Cabrera is striking out a career-low 21.5% of hitters and allowing a 91.6 MPH average exit velocity, which ranks in the fifth percentile across MLB. Ben Brown (1.2 fWAR) is the team’s most valuable starter, and he’s only made six starts since transitioning from the bullpen.
The issue isn’t helped by the slate of injuries the Cubs have experienced. Matthew Boyd was worth 3.4 fWAR in 2025 and had strong peripherals in five starts earlier this year. He has missed the last month with a left meniscus injury. Justin Steele has experienced setbacks in recovering from UCL revision surgery and is not expected back until the second half. Cade Horton is out until mid-2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. Given those injuries and the performance of the existing starters, it would behoove the Cubs to be aggressive in adding starters come August 3rd, even if Hoyer is non-committal in the present.
In contrast, the offense is more likely than the pitching staff to improve on its recent performance. Even factoring in the slide, Cubs hitters are tied for sixth-best in the Majors with a 107 wRC+ this year. Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Michael Busch, and Seiya Suzuki are all at least 14% better than average by wRC+. Alex Bregman won’t be a below-average hitter forever, and Nico Hoerner‘s 96 wRC+ is below-average but not terrible, especially considering his value on defense.
Dansby Swanson is the only qualified Cubs hitter who is struggling overall. He is batting just .180/.285/.322 with a 75 wRC+ in 240 plate appearances this year. The 75 wRC+ is well below last year’s 99 mark and would be Swanson’s lowest in a full season since 2018. According to Patrick Mooney of The Athletic, manager Craig Counsell is planning to temporarily bench Swanson for a few games to help him regroup. Swanson, who entered as the ghost runner in the tenth inning yesterday, will presumably still be available off the bench.
Swanson is known as a streaky hitter, and that’s been the case this year as well. He had an 86 wRC+ through May 15th, but he’s put up a 45 wRC+ since May 16th. Swanson has also been very unlucky. His .207 average on balls in play is well below league average and due for regression. Swanson is striking out less and walking more than last year, while his 89.5 MPH average exit velocity is down from last year but similar to 2024, when he was right around league average. The team will hope that a few days off can get Swanson back on track mentally and help him return to his career norms at the plate.
In minor news, the Cubs have signed righty Andrew Wantz to a minor league contract, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Wantz started the year with the Rays but only threw 1 2/3 innings before being designated for assignment a week ago. His last meaningful big league sample came in 2023, when Wantz had a 3.89 ERA in 39 1/3 innings for the Angels. He’s purely a depth signing and figures to get called up only if there is an injury or a short-term need for a fresh arm.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
The Opener: Ashcraft, Naylor, Lewis
The Yankees officially selected Ali Sánchez‘s contract yesterday. Had the game not been rained out, Sánchez would have been the first right-handed hitting catcher to start for the Yankees since Jose Trevino in the 2024 World Series. Today’s lineup isn’t public yet, but Sánchez could still start, as the Red Sox are starting a lefty in Ranger Suarez to counter the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler.
1. Ashcraft surrenders a first-inning run, finally
Braxton Ashcraft has started all 13 of his games for the Pirates this year, and he typically starts off strong. Yesterday, he allowed a first-inning run for the first time in his career (h/t to Jason Mackey of MLB.com for the stat), as the Braves took an early 2-0 lead on a sac fly and an Austin Riley double. It was a tough night overall for Ashcraft, who allowed six earned runs on nine hits in five innings as the Pirates lost to the Braves 6-3. Ashcraft is having a great season regardless. The righty has a 3.28 ERA through 79 2/3 innings and a 2.1 fWAR that ties for seventh among qualified starters.
2. Tigers v. Naylor
A potentially dangerous moment in the Mariners’ 4-0 win over the Tigers yesterday came in the fifth inning. Tigers starter Keider Montero threw a 96 MPH fastball up and in to the Mariners’ Josh Naylor, striking Naylor on the right shoulder. Naylor appeared in good spirits, laughing off the HBP and remaining in the game. For his part, Naylor thinks the pitch was intentional, telling Tim Booth of the Seattle Times and others, “I knew it was on purpose.” He had previously scored from first base, with Naylor’s sliding mitt getting thrown up toward Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler on the play at home.
3. From first overall to first base
After a brief demotion to the minor leagues, Royce Lewis was recalled yesterday and started at second base for the Twins. Notably, Lewis slid over to play first base in the ninth inning, marking his first major league appearance at the cold corner. Lewis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, has mostly played third base since arriving in the Majors in 2022. He’ll now look to add positional flexibility to increase his value amidst struggles at the plate. Lewis has a 52 wRC+ in 123 plate appearances while striking out over 30% of the time. Brooks Lee, now the starting third baseman per FanGraphs’ RosterResource, has a 96 wRC+ in 242 plate appearances.
Photo courtesy of Matt Krohn, Imagn Images
Twins Recall Royce Lewis, Designate James Outman
Royce Lewis is back in the majors, as the Twins announced that the infielder has been called up from Triple-A St. Paul. Outfielder James Outman was designated for assignment in the corresponding move, so Minnesota now has an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Lewis’ ugly .163/.261/.279 slash line over his first 119 plate appearances of the season was enough to convince the Twins that the former first overall pick needed a tune-up, so Lewis was optioned to St. Paul on May 19. The move has apparently worked, as Lewis’ bat has come to life against minor league pitching. Between the 13 games since his demotion and two rehab games earlier this season, Lewis has hit .333/.403/.900 in 67 PA at the Triple-A level, with a whopping 10 homers in that small sample size.
Obviously this kind of Ruthian production isn’t going to continue against MLB pitching, yet it does indicate that Lewis may have at least regained some confidence at the plate, in addition to any mechanical changes worked out with the Triple-A coaching staff. While injuries have been the dominant storyline of Lewis’ Major League career, he hasn’t been a particularly effective hitter since what seemed to be a breakout 2023 season, as Lewis has hit just .225/.285/.398 over 847 PA since Opening Day 2024.
The other interesting element to Lewis’ time in the minors has been some time spent at first and second base, in addition to his usual third base spot. It remains to be seen where Lewis will play upon his return to the majors, as Brooks Lee was moved from shortstop to third base in Lewis’ absence, with Tristan Gray getting most of the looks at shortstop.
Neither player is hitting well enough to have laid a real claim to either position, so it could be that Gray is returned to bench duty and the Twins revert to their normal infield alignment. Outman’s DFA leaves utilitymen Kody Clemens and Ryan Kreidler as the backup outfield options on the 26-man roster, so Clemens could get more time in the outfield if Lewis gets some looks as a first baseman.
Minnesota acquired Outman from the Dodgers for Brock Stewart at last year’s trade deadline, and the change of scenery didn’t help Outman regain any of the hitting prowess he showed early in his big league career. Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs for the Dodgers over 567 PA in 2023, but he has since batted .144/.235/.284 over his last 374 PA against MLB pitching. Those lowly numbers include a .156/.229/.250 slash in 70 PA this season as a backup outfielder.
This is the first time Outman has been designated for assignment, and he has less than three years of MLB service time. As such, he will have to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers or isn’t traded since the DFA period. Outman has some speed and he can play all three outfield positions, yet his offense has been so lackluster that he’ll probably clear waivers and remain in Minnesota’s organization.
Astros Outright Cesar Salazar
The Astros sent catcher Cesar Salazar outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. He successfully passed through waivers after getting designated for assignment on Thursday. Salazar could’ve elected free agency, but he’s chosen to accept the assignment.
This is Salazar’s second trip through the DFA process this season. The previous outright gave him the option to reject the assignment this time around. Instead, he’ll stick with the only organization he’s known as a pro.
The 30-year-old Salazar has appeared in parts of four seasons with the Astros. He’s slashed .189/.295/.216 in 45 games as a big leaguer. Salazar has been the guy Houston has called on when they need a stopgap behind the plate. He joined the club in May after Yainer Diaz went down with an oblique injury. Salazar went 1-for-18 while splitting the gig with Christian Vazquez. The Astros opted to replace him with Collin Price.
Salazar is out of minor league options. Since he accepted the assignment, Houston can stash him at Triple-A as catching depth. Salazar will likely get the call if Vasquez or Price needs to be replaced.
Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images
Yankees Place Austin Wells On 10-Day IL With Cervical Headaches
Catcher Austin Wells is heading to the injured list due to cervical headaches, the Yankees announced. J.C. Escarra was recalled to take Wells’ spot on the roster. Escarra was just sent down on Friday, but he’ll report back to the big-league club before playing a game at Triple-A.
Wells does not have a concussion, manager Aaron Boone told reporters, including Greg Joyce of the New York Post. The backstop complained of a headache on Friday night. He’s slated for additional testing on Sunday. Ali Sanchez was in the starting lineup behind the plate on Saturday before the game was rained out.
Jose Caballero pinch-hit for Wells in the ninth inning yesterday, but that likely had more to do with getting a right-handed bat in there against lefty Aroldis Chapman. There was no indication of an injury. Wells had started three of four games this week. He went hitless in 10 at-bats.
Wells is enduring a brutal offensive season. He’s hitting just .166 as New York’s primary catcher. After slugging a career-high 21 home runs last season, Wells has left the yard just four times this year. The left-handed bat has been particularly underwhelming against southpaws. Wells is 5-for-50 facing left-handed pitching this season.
Wells’ main contributions have come with the glove. He’s recorded 3 Defensive Runs Saved across 400 2/3 innings. Statcast gives him a Fielding Run Value of 3. Wells ranks in the 91st percentile for framing. He’s been slightly below average throwing out base stealers.
Escarra has functioned as Wells’ backup for most of the season. He hasn’t been any better offensively, posting a 38 wRC+ in 68 plate appearances. Only the Angels and Phillies have a lower OPS than the Yankees at the catcher position. Escarra will likely step into a platoon with Sanchez, who had his contract selected yesterday. The righty-swinging Sanchez should typically be in the lineup against lefties, like he was tonight against Ranger Suarez.
Photo courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images