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Chris Taylor Announces Retirement
TODAY: Taylor has now officially decided to retire, “clearing up any confusion” in a post on his Instagram page.
MAY 23: Taylor has reversed his decision to retire, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Instead, he’s been placed on the minor league injured list with a left forearm fracture, which he sustained on Wednesday at Triple-A Salt Lake.
MAY 22: Two-time World Series winner Chris Taylor is retiring, according to the MiLB.com transaction log. He had been in Triple-A with the Angels.
Taylor played parts of 12 seasons in the big leagues. The University of Virginia product was a fifth-round pick by Seattle in 2012. He played a bench role with the Mariners for a couple seasons before being traded to the Dodgers for right-hander Zach Lee in June 2016. That seemingly minor trade would haunt the Mariners, as then-GM Jerry Dipoto would call it “the worst deal I ever made” a year later.
Although Taylor wasn’t much of a factor in his first half-season with the Dodgers, that changed following his recall from Triple-A in April ’17. Taylor hit .288/.354/.496 with 21 home runs and 34 doubles over 140 games. He carried that form into the postseason, posting a near-.900 OPS in his first October action. That included a pair of homers in a five-game NLCS victory over the Cubs, in which Taylor was named the co-series MVP with Justin Turner.
That was the start of a five-year stretch in which Taylor was a key piece of very successful Dodgers teams. He’d hit .258/.340/.450 with 57 homers from 2018-21, earning an All-Star selection in the final of those years. He’d win his first World Series ring when L.A. defeated the Rays in 2020. That was ironically one of the only postseasons in which Taylor didn’t have good numbers, but he’d go on an absolute tear the following October.
Taylor had a signature moment when he hit a walk-off home run against Alex Reyes to knock out the Cardinals in the ’21 Wild Card Game. That was the first of four he’d hit in that postseason despite Dodgers getting bounced by the Braves in the NLCS. Taylor carried that momentum into his first trip to free agency, eventually re-signing on a four-year contract that guaranteed him $60MM.
Although it was an obvious move for the Dodgers at the time, that didn’t work out the way Taylor or the team would’ve hoped. He missed time in each of the first three seasons while his power production dropped. His game always came with a lot of strikeouts, so the declining slugging numbers made him a below-average hitter. He remained a valued clubhouse presence, though, and he’d win another championship when the Dodgers knocked off the Yankees in a five-game World Series in 2024.
Taylor spent the first six weeks of the 2025 season holding a spot on Dave Roberts’ bench. He’d get released in May and joined the Angels on a big league deal. He broke his hand early in his Halos’ tenure and spent most of the year on the injured list. He hit .186 in 58 games between the two clubs, but he’d collect a third ring for his early-season work once the Dodgers repeated as champions. Taylor also achieved the 10-year service milestone last August, albeit while on the injured list.
Taylor re-signed with the Angels but was unable to snag a roster spot out of camp. After 32 games with Triple-A Salt Lake, he evidently decided he was prepared to call it a career. It’s unclear if that’s due to some kind of injury. Taylor played on Wednesday and departed in the sixth inning after being hit by a pitch in what’ll seemingly be his final professional plate appearance.
Over more than a decade in the Majors, Taylor tallied 860 hits and 110 home runs. He had a league average .248/.327/.419 batting line overall, though he was an above-average hitter for five straight seasons at his peak. His .247/.351/.441 postseason slash was superior to his regular season mark despite the higher quality of competition.
Taylor was a part of two World Series winners and four NL pennants in L.A., three of them as an everyday player. He also suited up at six positions — all three outfield spots and the infield positions to the left of first base — as a versatile defender. Baseball Reference and FanGraphs credited him with roughly 16-17 Wins Above Replacement, and he racked up nearly $78MM in earnings. Congratulations to Taylor on an excellent run and all the best in retirement.
Image courtesy of Vincent Carchietta, Imagn Images.
Charlie Moore Passes Away
Longtime Brewers catcher and outfielder Charlie Moore passed away on Saturday at age 72, as per a media release from the team. Moore spent 14 of his 15 Major League seasons in a Milwaukee uniform, spending only his 15th and final season with the Blue Jays in 1987.
Beginning his big league career in 1973, Moore spent his first few seasons backing up Darrell Porter at the catcher position while also getting a good chunk of playing time as a corner outfielder. Porter was traded to the Royals after the 1976 campaign, which opened up more time behind the plate for Moore over the next five seasons. The Brewers than moved Moore into more or less an everyday right field role from 1982-84 before he returned to regular catching duty in his final three seasons.
It was something of an unusual career arc for a catcher, yet Moore was a good athlete who held his own defensively as a right fielder. Reggie Jackson learned this the hard way during Game 5 of the 1982 ALCS, when Moore threw out Jackson at third base when the superstar was trying to go from first to third on a Fred Lynn single. Jackson’s Angels held a 3-2 lead at that point in the do-or-die Game 5, and Moore’s big play was a key moment as Milwaukee went on to a 4-3 victory.
The 1982 squad is still the only Brewers team to reach the World Series, falling just short to the Cardinals in a seven-game Fall Classic. Moore was a huge part of Milwaukee’s playoff run, hitting .385/.429/.462 over 44 plate appearances during that postseason.
Moore finished his career with 36 homers and a .261/.319/.355 slash line over 4483 PA and 1334 career games. He also had 51 career stolen bases, with two of them coming on October 1, 1980 when Moore also hit for the cycle. That huge all-around day made Moore the first player in modern baseball history to both hit for a cycle and steal two bases in the same game. In another historical note for Moore, the last of Henry Aaron’s MLB record 2297 RBIs was recorded when Aaaon singled to drive in Moore from third base on the final day of the 1976 season.
We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Moore’s family, friends, and many fans.
Nationals Place Jake Irvin On 15-Day Injured List
Prior to today’s game with the Braves, the Nationals announced that right-hander Jake Irvin had been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a strain in his throwing shoulder. Left-hander PJ Poulin was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
An IL stint seemed inevitable when Irvin left Saturday’s game after five innings and 80 pitches, despite the fact that Irvin still hasn’t allowed a hit against the powerful Atlanta lineup. An MRI revealed the strain but nothing more serious, and manager Blake Butera told MLB.com’s Rick Farlow and other reporters that Irvin may miss just the minimum 15 days. Irvin described the diagnosis as the “best news that we could have heard….[I’ll] just attack it with treatment and strengthening and just trying to do whatever we can to get this thing to heal up as quick as possible.”
It’s a sign of Irvin’s bad luck this season that the injury occurred during what was shaping up as the best outing of an otherwise rough 2026. Irvin has a 5.23 ERA over 11 starts and 51 2/3 innings, but a 3.79 SIERA is perhaps more reflective of his work. The righty is allowing a lot of hard contact and his 9.6% walk rate is below average, but Irvin is striking out batters at a solid 25.4% rate — easily the best K% of his four MLB seasons.
Washington’s rotation hasn’t been very effective on the whole but they have been durable. Beyond the starting five of Irvin, Cade Cavalli, Foster Griffin, Zack Littell, and Miles Mikolas, the only other pitchers to make “starts” this season were Poulin and Richard Lovelady, who combined for eight appearances as an opener.
Since the Nats have an off-day on Thursday, Irvin’s spot in the rotation doesn’t need to be addressed until June 2. The club could obviously have a fill-in starter interrupt the usual rotation order if the other starters are given an extra rest day, or a bullpen day could be scheduled if an actual starter isn’t used to take Irvin’s place.
Nick Anderson Retires
Right-hander Nick Anderson has retired, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. The 35-year-old spent six seasons in the big leagues. He pitched for five teams, most recently appearing with the Rockies in 2025.
Anderson inked a minor league deal with the Athletics in November. He earned an invitation to Spring Training, where he pitched reasonably well, tossing 10 1/3 frames with a 4.35 ERA and more than a strikeout per inning. The veteran fell short of a big-league roster spot out of camp. He triggered an upward mobility clause in his deal, but no club stepped in to add him.
With no MLB roster spot waiting for him, Anderson headed to Triple-A Las Vegas. He pitched well with the Aviators. The righty posted a 2.16 ERA with a 16:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 15 appearances. It wasn’t enough for him to earn a call-up to the A’s.
The Twins signed Anderson as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He was already 24 years old when he got his first look in pro ball. Anderson pitched well in the minors with Minnesota, reaching Triple-A by 2018. He was dealt to Miami for third baseman Brian Schales that offseason. Anderson broke camp with the Marlins in 2019. He delivered a sub-4.00 ERA with a massive 37.1% strikeout rate over 45 appearances. Miami shipped Anderson and righty Trevor Richards to Tampa Bay at the trade deadline for outfielder Jesus Sanchez and righty Ryne Stanek.
Anderson put together the best stretch of his career with the Rays, though injuries limited him from emerging as a true shutdown reliever. He closed the 2019 season with a ridiculous 52.6% strikeout rate in 23 appearances with his new team. Anderson was just as good in the postseason, allowing one earned run over 5 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts. He continued his strong work in the shortened 2020 season, opening the year with 11 scoreless appearances. He missed time with forearm inflammation, but returned in time to pick up three saves and two holds in September.
The 2020 postseason marked a shift in Anderson’s career. He struggled mightily as the Rays marched to the World Series. The righty was scored upon in eight of 10 outings. Anderson blew leads in Game 4 and Game 7 of the Fall Classic. He was charged with the loss in the final game of the series.
Anderson threw just six innings from 2021 to 2022 as he dealt with a back injury, a torn UCL, and plantar fasciitis. He departed for the Braves in free agency ahead of the 2023 season. Anderson bounced around frequently after his tenure with the Rays. He spent time with eight different organizations over the past four years. Anderson posted decent seasons with the Braves and Royals, but was ineffective in a brief stint with the Rockies last year.
Anderson wraps up his time as a big leaguer with a 3.43 ERA over 173 innings. He recorded 10 saves. The righty was one of the league’s best bat-missing relievers for a couple of seasons. Despite tailing off in the past few years, he’ll conclude his career with a 30.2% strikeout rate. We at MLBTR wish Anderson the best in whatever comes next.
Photos courtesy of Nick Wosika, Kim Klement, Imagn Images
Tigers Designate Connor Seabold For Assignment, Activate Troy Melton
The Tigers announced that right-hander Connor Seabold has been designated for assignment. The move opens up space on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters for the return of righty Troy Melton, who has been activated from the 60-day injured list to start Game 2 of today’s doubleheader against the Orioles. Prior to Game 1, Detroit also placed left-hander Brant Hurter on the 15-day IL (retroactive to May 23) due to lumbar spine inflammation, and right-hander Ricky Vanasco was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
Seabold signed a split deal with the Tigers just before the start of the season, and soon after the righty was released from a previous minor league contract with the Blue Jays. While Seabold broke camp with his new club, a big chunk of his time in Motown has been spent on the injured list, as he missed a little under three weeks recovering from ankle inflammation.
When healthy, Seabold has been pretty effective coming out of the pen, with a 3.45 ERA, 20.3% strikeout rate, and 7.2% walk rate over 15 2/3 innings. While other Tigers relievers have minor league options and Seabold doesn’t, he may have just been the victim of a roster crunch, as a 40-man spot was needed for Melton’s return.
Detroit now faces the possibility that Seabold is claimed away on waivers, or elects free agency if he clears waivers and is then outrighted (Seabold has been outrighted in the past, giving him the ability to decline future outright assignments). Seabold has a 7.28 ERA across his 134 2/3 career innings in the Show, but teams in need of immediate relief help may be swayed by his recent performance, or a slight uptick in velocity to 93.5mph from his previous 92.5mph career average.
After developing elbow inflammation during Spring Training, Melton is finally set to make his 2026 debut. The Tigers initially planned to use Melton as a reliever or swingman this season, but due to multiple injuries within the rotation, Melton will now step right into starting duty. The righty made his MLB debut in 2025 and posted a 2.76 ERA, 20K%, and 8.3BB% over his first 45 2/3 innings as a big leaguer, starting four of his 16 regular-season games.
Just as one pitcher gets healthy, however, Detroit’s seemingly nonstop parade of pitching injuries continues with Hurter’s IL placement. Hurter has a 2.84 ERA over 25 1/3 relief innings this season, despite very modest strikeout (17.8%) and walk (11.9%) rates. The groundball specialist is generating grounders at a 60.3% clip, and Hurter is getting a lot of benefit from a tiny .203 BABIP.
Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Dylan Cease Leave With Injuries
The fifth inning on Sunday against the Pirates was a double whammy for the Blue Jays. Dylan Cease departed in the top of the frame with a leg injury. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took a Mitch Keller sinker to the elbow in the bottom of the inning and was immediately replaced.
The team announced left hamstring discomfort as the reason for Cease’s removal. Guerrero has been diagnosed with a right elbow contusion. The first baseman had X-rays taken, which came back negative for a fracture, per the club.
Toronto has been among the most injured squads in the league. Catcher Alejandro Kirk, outfielder Nathan Lukes, and infielder/outfielder Addison Barger are currently on the injured list. Outfielder Anthony Santander is out for the season after shoulder surgery. On the pitching side, Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, and Cody Ponce are done for the year. Shane Bieber has yet to appear this season. Max Scherzer remains out.
Cease is well-known for his impressive durability. The right-hander has never been on the 15-day injured list since debuting with the White Sox in 2019. He did spend a bit of time on the 10-day IL in early 2021, but that was for COVID-19 reasons. Cease has made 32+ starts in every season since the shortened 2020 campaign.
Guerrero also has a clean injury history. He’s never been on the injured list in his eight years in the big leagues. Guerrero has topped 155 games and 675 plate appearances in five consecutive seasons. An absence for either Cease or Guerrero would be challenging for Toronto to navigate, but neither injury seems like a major issue.
Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images
Cubs Place Edward Cabrera On 15-Day IL, Recall Jordan Wicks
Right-hander Edward Cabrera is heading to the injured list, the Cubs announced. Cabrera left his most recent start with a blister on his right middle finger. The injury will cost him at least a couple of weeks. Lefty Jordan Wicks was recalled to take Cabrera’s spot on the roster.
Cabrera was pulled after three innings on Wednesday against the Brewers. He allowed four runs, though only one was earned, thanks to errors by Carson Kelly and Pete Crow-Armstrong. It was Cabrera’s eighth consecutive appearance allowing 3+ runs. He’d opened the season with 11 2/3 scoreless frames.
It’s difficult news for a Cubs rotation already missing Matthew Boyd, Cade Horton, and Justin Steele. Boyd is expected to return sometime in June, but Horton is done for the year, and Steele is out until after the All-Star break. Chicago has stretched out Ben Brown as a starter after he opened the year in the bullpen. Colin Rea has been in the rotation since early April. Wicks likely steps into the No. 5 spot until Cabrera is ready to come back.
Chicago acquired Cabrera in an offseason trade with the Marlins that sent top prospect Owen Caissie and two other minor leaguers to Miami. The 27-year-old was coming off his best all-around season with the Fish. Cabrera delivered 26 starts with a 3.53 ERA as a full-time member of Miami’s rotation. He cut his walk rate below 10% for the first time as a big leaguer.
Injuries plagued Cabrera for much of his time with the Marlins. He missed time with elbow and shoulder issues in 2022 and 2023. A shoulder impingement sent the righty to the IL multiple times in 2024. Cabrera dealt with a blister to begin 2025 on the same finger giving him trouble right now. The injury only cost him the first two weeks of last season. Cabrera was healthy for the majority of the campaign, tossing a career-high 137 2/3 innings. He did go down with an elbow sprain in September, but made it back on the mound for two outings to close the year.
Wicks has been up and down with the big-league club for the past three seasons. He operated as a starter in his first two years with the team, then moved to the bullpen in 2025. The lefty showed improved velocity as a reliever last season, but posted a 6.28 ERA across 14 1/3 innings. Wicks has been back to starting at Triple-A this year. He’s notched a 4.44 ERA over seven outings.
Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images
Rangers Notes: Gore, Seager, Jung
Rangers left-hander MacKenzie Gore is expected to start tonight against the Angels, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News. Texas fans can now breathe a sigh of relief. Gore was removed from his start on Monday with a back injury, but appears good to go for his next turn in the rotation.
Gore seemed to be shaken up after diving for a groundball in the first inning against the Rockies last time out. He managed to finish the frame, but was then relieved by Peyton Gray. Gore was charged with two earned runs on three hits and two walks in his lone inning of work.
The Rangers landed Gore in a blockbuster deal with the Nationals that sent five players back to Washington. The 27-year-old is off to an uneven beginning to his tenure in Texas. Gore piled up 25 strikeouts over his first three starts, recording a pair of wins. The lefty battled control issues from there, handing out 16 free passes over his next 23 2/3 frames. Gore bounced back with eight innings of one-run ball in his outing before the abbreviated appearance on Monday.
Gore was expected to form a three-headed monster at the top of the rotation with Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi. It hasn’t exactly come to fruition. After a strong April, deGrom has been tagged for 16 earned runs in four May outings. He’s allowed eight home runs in that stretch. Eovaldi has settled in recently, but a brutal start to the campaign still has his numbers lagging behind his tremendous 2025 output.
Here are a couple of other injury items for the Rangers…
- Shortstop Corey Seager will not face live pitching today as originally planned. His balky back didn’t respond properly after a workout on Friday. “We’re trying to figure out the next steps,” manager Skip Schumaker told reporters, including McFarland. Seager hit the injured list earlier this week with lower back inflammation. After missing a series last weekend against the Astros, he was sent to see the Rangers’ back specialist. The 32-year-old Seager is scuffling through his worst offensive season as a big leaguer.
- Third baseman Josh Jung left Saturday’s matchup against the Angels due to left shoulder soreness. He went 0-for-2 before being replaced in the lineup by Michael Helman. Jung told reporters he was “scared more than anything” and “should be alright” moving forward (h/t again to McFarland). The infielder had surgery to repair a torn labrum in that same shoulder heading into the 2022 season. Duran slid over to cover third base when Jung left yesterday. He’s been the regular shortstop since Seager went down. It’ll likely be Duran at third and Helman at short tonight if Jung can’t go.
Photo courtesy of Brad Penner, Imagn Images
Guardians Designate Peyton Pallette For Assignment, Recall Logan Allen
Right-hander Peyton Pallette has been designated for assignment, the Guardians announced. Lefty Logan Allen is rejoining the big-league club to take his spot in the bullpen.
Cleveland picked up Pallette from the White Sox in the Rule 5 draft. As part of the standard DFA process, the club has five days to trade him or place him on waivers. If another team makes a move to add Pallette, they’ll take on the Rule 5 requirements. If Pallette passes through waivers, he’ll be offered back to Chicago.
Pallette scuffled to a 5.23 ERA in 20 2/3 innings with the Guardians. He punched out opponents at a decent 22.7% clip, but it came with an untenable 16.5% walk rate. The righty led with a 95 mph four-seamer, accompanied by a pair of breaking balls. He threw the occasional changeup. Pallette’s curveball and slider both performed well, generating decent whiffs and preventing hits. The fastball was an issue. Pallette’s heater ceded a 51.6% hard-hit rate and a .410 wOBA.
The White Sox took Pallette in the second round of the 2022 draft. He posted strong strikeout numbers in each level of the minors, which is what likely drew Cleveland’s interest. Walks were becoming a problem before Pallette moved to his new organization. The righty had a 9.9% walk rate last season at Double-A, and it jumped to 10.9% after he was moved to Triple-A.
Allen has pitched in parts of the last three seasons with the Guardians. He’s worked almost exclusively as a starter in the big leagues, posting a 4.48 ERA in 74 appearances (73 starts). Allen has struggled from a run prevention perspective through eight Triple-A outings this season, but he’s notched a solid 25.4% strikeout rate. He’ll likely step into a long relief role with Cleveland. Allen could also operate as a sixth starter if the club wants to get some extra rest for the rotation. The Guardians are playing their 10th straight game on Sunday during a two-week stretch without an off-day.
Photo courtesy of David Richard, Imagn Images