Reds Activate Caleb Ferguson From 15-Day IL, Recall Zach Maxwell
The Reds have activated reliever Caleb Ferguson from the 15-day injured list, according to Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie’s Chalkboard. Zach Maxwell is being recalled from Triple-A. Connor Phillips and Jose Franco are being optioned in corresponding moves.
Ferguson signed with the Reds on a one-year, $4.5MM deal back in December. He has not yet appeared in 2026, instead beginning the year on the IL with an oblique muscle strain. That was Ferguson’s first IL placement since 2022, so the Reds are likely confident he can return as the durable groundball specialist that he was from 2023-25.
Ferguson had a 3.85 ERA in an even 180 innings in that span, which he split between five teams. His ERA peaked at 4.64 in 2024, although that came with a .340 opponents’ average on balls in play, suggesting Ferguson was due for regression. Indeed, Ferguson lowered his ERA to 3.58 in 2025, albeit with interesting trends in his peripherals. After striking out 26.9% of opponents in 2024, that fell to 18.9% in 2025, well below the league average. On the flip side, Ferguson upped his groundball rate to 48.7% and did very well at keeping the ball in the yard, allowing just two long balls in 65 1/3 innings.
Ferguson’s velocity didn’t change all that much from 2024-25. That said, the lefty decreased his four-seam usage by 11.7% in favor of his sinker, which Ferguson now used 23.2% of the time. That could partly explain the uptick in groundballs, although the drop in strikeouts was more puzzling given Ferguson’s similar velocity to 2024. Coming off his injury, the Reds can probably expect an ERA in the mid- to upper-3.00’s and an above-average groundball rate from Ferguson, and ideally some recovery of the strikeouts.
Maxwell returns from Triple-A Louisville after last appearing in the Majors on May 1st. That wasn’t a good day for him, as Maxwell allowed four earned runs on two homers in a single frame of work. A sixth-round draft pick by Cincy in 2022, Maxwell has only thrown 11 innings in the Majors since debuting last year. He has a 7.36 ERA in that small sample. Maxwell’s minor league work is somewhat more promising. He had a 4.17 ERA in 49 2/3 Triple-A innings last year, which he’s decreased to 3.50 so far in 2026. That said, Maxwell has walked over 14% of hitters since reaching the upper minors in 2024.
The promotion is less about rewarding Maxwell and more about giving Phillips a reset at Triple-A. Manager Terry Francona said of Phillips: “He’s just not throwing enough strikes… He can spin it. But until he starts throwing the ball where he wants to, it can be a struggle.” That’s an accurate assessment of Phillips’ performance in 2026. Despite possessing 95th-percentile fastball velocity, Phillips has failed to capitalize by throwing strikes. His 20.5% walk rate is second-worst among qualified relievers this year and plays a big role in the righty’s 5.06 ERA.
More to come.
Diamondbacks Place Lourdes Gurriel Jr. On 10-Day IL, Select Tommy Troy
The Diamondbacks are placing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, as reported by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. The club is also selecting the contract of prospect Tommy Troy.
More to come.
Angels Sign Taijuan Walker To Minor League Deal
The Angels have signed right-hander Taijuan Walker to a minor league deal, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Walker was released by the Phillies earlier this season. He is a client of CAA Sports.
Walker, 33, certainly made an impact in Philadelphia this year, and not in a good way. In five appearances (four starts), Walker allowed a staggering 23 earned runs and eight home runs in just 22 2/3 innings. Almost nothing was going right for him, with Walker’s strikeout rate, walk rate, and WHIP all trending in the wrong direction from last year. The Phillies, needing a rotation spot for the returning Zack Wheeler, decided to release Walker on April 23rd.
There is no financial risk in the Angels taking a flier on Walker. At the time of his release, Walker was earning $18MM in the final season of a four-year, $72MM pact with the Phillies. The Angels will only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time spent in the Majors, which will be subtracted from the Phillies’ tab. Regardless of Walker’s underwhelming recent track record, at least he won’t cost the Angels a lot of money.
Of course, his being cheap doesn’t inspire confidence in Walker’s ability to help the Angels. The righty had a 7.10 ERA in 83 2/3 innings in 2024 and allowed two and a half home runs per nine innings. Walker split 2025 between the rotation and bullpen, with mediocre results in both roles. His 4.25 ERA as a starter came despite a below average 14.7% strikeout rate. Meanwhile, Walker’s 3.15 ERA as a reliever disguised an ugly 11.8% walk rate, and his 5.14 FIP put his true talent two runs higher than his ERA. Even if Walker improves on his small sample from earlier this year, he’s at best a No. 5 starter now.
On the other hand, the Angels aren’t a bad place for Walker to try to rebuild his value. The club’s rotation is perhaps better than their 4.60 ERA would suggest, but that’s largely due to Jose Soriano‘s breakout and Reid Detmers having a career-best 3.23 expected ERA (well below his actual 5.07 ERA). Walbert Ureña has a 2.70 ERA, but he’s only 22 years old and walks too many hitters. Jack Kochanowicz‘s so-so 4.55 ERA is benefitting from opponents’ .249 average on balls in play, and Grayson Rodriguez has only made two starts since returning from shoulder inflammation.
Walker could conceivably get some starts if one of Ureña, Kochanowicz, or Rodriguez struggles enough or suffers an injury. The signing also harkens back to the Angels’ offseason strategy, which saw low-cost signings of Alek Manoah among others, plus the buy-low trade for Rodriguez. The Angels are currently at 18-34 and have a less than 1% chance of making the playoffs according to FanGraphs, despite manager Kurt Suzuki believing they’re merely in a cold stretch. The club could bring Walker up if the need arises and put him on outright waivers if he does poorly, as was the case with Manoah.
Photo courtesy of Bill Streicher, Imagn Images
Outrighted To Triple-A: Slater, Blach, Brooks
Catching up on some players recently designated for assignment…
- The Mets outrighted outfielder Austin Slater to Triple-A Syracuse, as per Slater’s MLB.com profile page. There isn’t yet any word on whether or not Slater will accept the assignment, as Slater has the ability to elect free agency rather than report to Triple-A and remain in the Mets organization. Since he has more than five years of MLB service time, Slater can become a free agent while still keeping the $1MM he is guaranteed in 2026, as per the teams of the contract he signed with the Marlins just before the season began. Over 49 combined PA with Miami and New York, Slater has hit only .209/.286/.233 with just one extra-base hit.
- Ty Blach cleared waivers and was outrighted to the Cubs‘ Triple-A Iowa affiliate, according to the left-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Chicago selected Blach’s contract to the active roster last weekend but DFA’ed him two days later, after Blach tossed three shutout innings of relief work in the Cubs’ 9-3 loss to the Brewers on Monday. That cup of coffee represented Blach’s first bit of MLB work since 2024, and he now has the option of rejecting the outright assignment in favor of free agency or returning to Iowa. Given the ongoing injury woes on the Cubs’ pitching staff, Blach might prefer to stay put, as another call to the majors might come sooner rather than later.
- Aaron Brooks pitched for Triple-A Durham yesterday, indicating that the right-hander accepted his outright assignment to the Rays‘ top affiliate. Brooks was outrighted last Sunday and he had the ability to elect free agency, but it looks like the righty has opted to stay in Tampa’s organization. Like Blach, Brooks was also making his first MLB appearance since 2024 in his own one-game cameo back in the Show, though Brooks’ lone outing was much rockier. He was charged with three earned runs in one-third of an inning of work in the Rays’ 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays on May 13.
Yankees Sign Peter Strzelecki To Minors Contract
The Yankees have signed right-hander Peter Strzelecki to a minor league deal, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports. Strzelecki will begin his tenure with his new team at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Brewers signed Strzelecki to a minors deal back in February, and selected that contract to the 26-man roster last Saturday. However, Strzelecki’s return to the big leagues was very brief, as Milwaukee designated him for assignment the very next day, and before the right-hander could get into a game. Strzelecki cleared waivers and, since he has been outrighted in the past, he had the ability to elect free agency rather than accept the outright assignment back to Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate.
His time on the open market was brief, and the righty now lands with what is technically one of his hometown teams — Strzelecki was born in Queens, though he grew up in Florida. Strzelecki is still looking for his first MLB action since 2024, when he had a 2.31 ERA over 11 2/3 innings for the Guardians. Over 83 2/3 career innings with the Brewers (in a previous stint in Milwaukee), Diamondbacks, and Guardians, Strzelecki has a 3.44 ERA, 24% strikeout rate, and 8.4% walk rate.
Despite these solid numbers, Strzelecki’s low-90’s velocity may not turn many heads, and he is out of minor league options. If the Yankees were to select his contract to their active roster, they’d have to DFA Strzelecki and expose the 31-year-old to waivers again before trying to send him back down to the minors. The lack of roster flexibility may lead to more trips through DFA limbo for Strzelecki down the road, but for now he’ll stay in SWB as bullpen depth.
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.
A 19th-round pick for the Rangers in the 2019 draft, Crim spent his first six pro seasons in the Texas organization, and he made his Major League debut in a Rangers uniform in 2025. Crim was designated for assignment at last year’s trade deadline in the aftermath of the deal that brought Merrill Kelly to Arlington, and the Rockies then claimed Crim away on waivers. Crim’s 2025 campaign ended with a .200/.270/.462 slash line and five home runs over 74 plate appearances and 20 combined games with Texas and Colorado.
This remains Crim’s full MLB resume, as he began the season on the Rockies’ 10-day IL while recovering from an oblique strain and was then optioned to Triple-A after being activated. Colorado designated Crim for assignment earlier this week, and the 28-year-old now finds himself in the familiar environs of Round Rock.
Crim has spent parts of the last five seasons at the Triple-A level, and he hit .281/.370/.479 with 70 home runs over 1882 PA at the top rung of the minor league ladder. These impressive numbers come with the caveat that Crim’s entire Triple-A career has been spent in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and for his minor league career as a whole, Crim’s wRC+ is a relatively modest 113. Crim’s path to consistent MLB playing time has also been hampered by the fact that he has become a first base-only player in recent years, after getting some limited action as a third baseman and corner outfielder earlier in this minor league days.
From the Rangers’ perspective, Crim is a known quantity of a depth option. He is also in the second of his three minor league option years, giving Texas some flexibility in sending him back and forth from Triple-A if a need arises.
Baumler was a selection in this offseason’s Rule 5 Draft, as the Pirates took him out of the Orioles’ organization and then dealt the right-hander to Texas. Baumler posted a 3.18 ERA despite recording as many walks as strikeouts (six apiece) over 5 2/3 relief innings over four appearances, which represented his first taste of Major League action. A right intercostal strain sent him to the 15-day IL in early April, and it has now been almost a month since Baumler’s minor league rehab assignment was halted due to an injury setback.
The move to the 60-day IL now ensures that Baumler can’t return to the Rangers’ active roster until the first week of June at the earliest, and it’ll likely be a lot longer than that considering that his throwing progression may have to be restarted from scratch. The Rule 5 regulations require Baumler to be on Texas’ active roster for at least 90 days this season, and if not, the Rangers will again have to keep him on their 26-man for all of the 2027 campaign in order to officially secure his right from Baltimore.
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 left-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.