Padres Place Yu Darvish On Restricted List
The Padres finally announced their Opening Day roster on Wednesday evening. It more or less finalized a number of already known moves, though the biggest development is that starter Yu Darvish has been placed on the restricted list. Alden González of ESPN first reported that was the plan.
Darvish underwent elbow surgery last November. He won’t pitch at all in 2026. The expectation had been that he’d spend the season on the 60-day injured list. The Padres instead place him on the restricted list, which is for players who are under contract but are unavailable to play for various reasons. The restricted list is best known for its use when a player is suspended, though it’s more commonly briefly used when a player is away from the team for personal matters.
Players on the restricted list do not count against their clubs’ 40-man rosters, though that’s also true for those on the 60-day injured list. The more notable distinction is that teams are not required to pay players while they’re on the restricted list. It isn’t publicly known whether the team will continue paying Darvish any or all of his $15MM salary.
Of course, a team cannot place a player on the restricted list and avoid paying his contract merely because he suffered an injury. There’s surely more to this situation going on behind the scenes. There have been reports dating back to the end of last season about the sides negotiating some way to void the remaining three years on his deal. Darvish provided a statement in January, saying that he has not decided on retirement but confirming that the team, his camp, and the MLB Players Association have had conversations about terminating his contract. There hadn’t been any further updates on his situation until today.
His deal runs through 2028 and contains $43MM in remaining guarantees for his age 39-41 campaigns. The Padres would no doubt love to negotiate some kind of buyout or deferral plan that frees up short-term payroll space and lowers their luxury tax number. González points out that the still unsigned Lucas Giolito would be a sensible target for a team with questions in the back half of the rotation.
In 2024, Darvish agreed to a restricted list placement to attend to a family matter. He had previously been on the injured list at the time. The Padres offered to allow him to remain on the IL but Darvish opted to spend more than a month on the restricted list instead, voluntarily bypassing nearly $4MM in salary (link via Dennis Lin of The Athletic). The pitcher’s agent, Joel Wolfe, praised the team’s handling of the situation while noting that Darvish “just didn’t feel it was right to collect the money if he wasn’t fully committed to the rehab and coming back.”
There’ll presumably be an update from the team and/or Darvish’s representatives before long. The most immediate effect is that he’s off the 40-man roster. That’s a formality but was needed to officially select the contracts of Walker Buehler and Ty France, both of whom made the team last week.
San Diego placed seven more players on the injured list. Infielders Sung-Mun Song and Will Wagner went on the 10-day injured list, as both players are dealing with right oblique strains. Pitchers Jason Adam (recovery from left quad surgery), Griffin Canning (recovery from left Achilles surgery), Bryan Hoeing (flexor surgery), Joe Musgrove (elbow inflammation), Matt Waldron (which the team announced only as “surgery” after being a little more specific in February), and Yuki Matsui (left groin strain) all land on the 15-day injured list.
Adam was the only one of those players who held out hope of making the Opening Day roster. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Monday that he’d open on the injured list. It’s mostly to buy time for Adam to continue building up, as he made just two appearances at the end of Spring Training. He should be back sometime in April. In the meantime, this allows the Padres to carry both hard-throwing rookie Bradgley Rodríguez and the out-of-options Ron Marinaccio on the Opening Day roster.
Rockies Outright Keegan Thompson
5:12pm: Thompson has already cleared waivers and is indeed accepting the outright assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Although Colorado announced the DFA this afternoon, they apparently placed him on waivers earlier in the week.
12:37pm: The Rockies announced they’ve designated reliever Keegan Thompson for assignment. The right-hander is out of options and didn’t win a spot in Warren Schaeffer’s bullpen. Colorado selected the contracts of backup catcher Brett Sullivan and rookie first baseman T.J. Rumfield, each of whom was informed they’d made the team over the weekend. Thompson’s DFA cleared one spot on the 40-man roster, while the other was opened with Pierson Ohl (Tommy John surgery) going on the 60-day injured list.
Colorado also optioned hard-throwing righty Seth Halvorsen, who walked 12 batters in five innings this spring. They made five more season-opening IL placements. First baseman Blaine Crim (left oblique strain), utility player Tyler Freeman (back tightness), and outfielder Zac Veen (right knee contusion) all land on the 10-day injured list. Righties McCade Brown (shoulder inflammation) and RJ Petit (Tommy John surgery) open on the 15-day injured list. Colorado will move Petit to the 60-day IL whenever they need a 40-man roster spot. Freeman’s injury means first baseman/outfielder Troy Johnston claims the last bench role.
Thompson’s DFA wasn’t motivated by 40-man concerns but rather his out-of-options status. The Rockies opted to carry Jaden Hill and Zach Agnos in middle relief over Halvorsen and Thompson. They’re dedicating long relief roles to Chase Dollander and Antonio Senzatela. Trade pickup Brennan Bernardino is their only left-hander in the group, while they’ll use Jimmy Herget, Juan Mejia and Victor Vodnik in the late innings.
Colorado claimed Thompson off waivers from the Reds in January. He was on a split contract with Cincinnati that would have paid $1.3MM if he made the MLB roster and $350K for time spent in the minors. The Reds tried to sneak him through waivers but the Rockies placed a claim to take a look at him in camp. The 31-year-old righty had a tough spring, allowing 10 runs with six free passes (five walks and a hit batter) against four strikeouts over 12 innings.
There’s a decent chance Thompson sticks in the organization. He’ll likely go on waivers this week. If he clears, he’s unlikely to decline a minor league assignment and walk away from his $350K Triple-A salary. Thompson spent all of last year at the Triple-A level in the Cubs’ system. He turned in a 4.50 ERA while striking out nearly 30% of opponents across 64 innings.
Twins Outright Alex Jackson, Re-Sign Matt Bowman
The Twins outrighted catcher Alex Jackson to Triple-A St. Paul, reports Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Although Minnesota had announced this morning that he’d been designated for assignment, it seems they began the waiver process earlier in the week. Hayes also reports that righty reliever Matt Bowman is back with the club on a new minor league deal.
Jackson is expected to accept the assignment and start the season in the minors. He has the three years of service to elect free agency but hasn’t crossed the five-year threshold at which he’d keep his salary if he does so. Jackson avoided arbitration on a $1.35MM salary that he’d almost certainly not match if he tested the market and signed a minor league deal elsewhere.
Minnesota acquired Jackson from the Orioles in November. He had a path to the backup catching job behind Ryan Jeffers at the time. The Twins subsequently added Victor Caratini on a two-year deal, pushing the out-of-options Jackson off the roster. He has easily the most experience of any of their non-roster catchers, so he’d probably be first back up if Jeffers or Caratini suffer an injury.
Bowman is an organizational favorite who has had multiple stints with the club as a middle reliever. He was back in camp this year as a non-roster invitee. Bowman tossed 7 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, striking out seven against two walks. Despite the strong showing, he lost out on a middle relief spot to Cody Laweryson and triggered an opt-out at the end of Spring Training. Bowman evidently did not find an immediate MLB roster spot elsewhere, so he’ll head to St. Paul and try to pitch his way into the big league bullpen during the season.
Blue Jays DFA Leo Jimenez; Rule 5 Pick Spencer Miles To Break Camp
3:05pm: The Jays have officially announced their roster, with both Jiménez and Bastardo designated for assignment.
1:04pm: The Blue Jays are designating infielder Leo Jiménez for assignment, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. He’s out of options and evidently did not win the final spot on Toronto’s bench, which is likely to go to Davis Schneider.
Toronto will carry Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles on the Opening Day roster, reports Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. He won the final spot in the middle relief group, which had seemingly been down to him and sidewinding righty Chase Lee. The Jays announced over the weekend that they would not carry their other Rule 5 selection Angel Bastardo, who’ll therefore be designated for assignment this afternoon if he’s not already on waivers.
Jiménez will probably land with another organization, as it seems likely he’ll attract trade or waiver interest. The Panama native has spent eight seasons in the Toronto system. His bat-to-ball skills and ability to play either middle infield position made him one of the organization’s better prospects. Jiménez has been a good minor league player but hasn’t hit in a limited look at the big league level.
Toronto gave the righty-hitting Jiménez 210 plate appearances as a rookie two seasons ago. He hit .229/.329/.358 while striking out in 28% of his trips. A deeper Jays infield and a handful of injuries kept Jiménez to 18 big league games last season. He didn’t play much in Triple-A either but hit .271/.416/.431 with nearly as many walks as strikeouts at that level in 2024.
Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes and backup catcher Tyler Heineman were locked into bench spots. The Jays were left to decide whether to carry Jiménez because he can play shortstop and couldn’t be optioned, or to turn to a more proven right-handed power bat in Schneider. They’re opting for the latter. Ernie Clement can slide to shortstop with Schneider at second base when Andrés Giménez needs a rest day. The Jays have five days to see if they can flip Jiménez for a marginal prospect return. They’d otherwise need to place him on waivers.
Miles was the final borderline Rule 5 decision around the league. The 25-year-old righty has barely pitched since being drafted by the Giants in the fourth round in 2022. A back injury preceded a Tommy John procedure that has kept him to a grand total of 14 2/3 minor league innings. The Giants left him off their 40-man roster, doubtful that another club would be willing to carry him on the MLB roster with such little professional experience.
It’s particularly surprising that an all-in Toronto team is taking that flier. That speaks to how strongly they feel about the caliber of his stuff, as they’re not in position to burn a bullpen spot on a pure development flier. Miles struck out 11 hitters over 9 2/3 innings this spring, allowing four runs on 11 hits and five walks. Baseball America credits him with a mid-90s fastball and plus curveball and ranked him the #22 prospect in the Jays’ system over the offseason.
Breaking camp certainly doesn’t guarantee that Miles will spend the entire season on the roster. He’ll need to pitch well enough to hold an MLB job. The Jays would otherwise need to run him through waivers and offer him back to San Francisco.
Bastardo was a Rule 5 pick out of the Boston organization in 2024. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery and spent the entire ’25 season on the injured list. Teams need to carry a Rule 5 pick on the active roster for at least 90 days as soon as they’re healthy if they miss their entire first season due to injury. The Jays were never going to carry two Rule 5 draftees in the bullpen.
The 23-year-old Bastardo has far more minor league experience than Miles, but he showed signs of rust this spring. He walked seven batters and uncorked four wild pitches in 7 2/3 innings. He’ll go on waivers and will be offered back to the Red Sox if he clears. The selection still worked to the righty’s benefit financially, as he was paid the $760K major league minimum salary for his time on the injured list.
Offseason In Review: Atlanta Braves
The Braves’ offseason began with a managerial change. They brought back their shortstop, added a pair of high-leverage relievers, and upgraded their outfield. A series of Spring Training injuries has magnified their lack of activity on the rotation market, leaving questions about whether they did enough to avoid a repeat of their frustrating 2025 season.
Major League Signings
- RHP Robert Suarez: Three years, $45MM
- DH/LF Mike Yastrzemski: Two years, $23MM (including buyout of ’28 club option)
- SS Ha-Seong Kim: One year, $20MM
- RHP Raisel Iglesias: One year, $16MM
- RHP Tyler Kinley: One year, $4.25MM (including buyout of ’27 club option)
- RHP Joel Payamps: One year, $2.25MM
- C Jonah Heim: One year, $1.5MM
- 1B Dominic Smith: One year split contract, $1.25MM in MLB
- 2B Kyle Farmer: One year split contract, $1.25MM in MLB
- SS Jorge Mateo: One year, $1MM
- LHP Danny Young: One year split contract, $925K in MLB
- RHP Ian Hamilton: Non-guaranteed contract (subsequently outrighted off 40-man roster)
2026 commitments: $65.75MM
Total future commitments: $113MM
Trades and Claims
- Acquired SS Mauricio Dubón from Astros for SS Nick Allen
- Claimed RHP Osvaldo Bido off waivers from Athletics (later lost on waivers to Rays and reclaimed from Yankees)
- Claimed RHP Anthony Molina off waivers from Rockies (later outrighted)
- Claimed OF Michael Siani off waivers from Cardinals (later lost on waivers to Dodgers)
- Claimed RHP Carson Ragsdale, LHP Josh Walker off waivers from Orioles (later lost both players)
- Acquired LHP Ryan Rolison from Rockies for cash (later lost on waivers to White Sox)
- Claimed LHP Ken Waldichuk off waivers from Athletics (later traded to Rays)
- Traded 2B Brett Wisely and LHP Ken Waldichuk to Rays for cash
- Reacquired 2B Brett Wisely from Rays for cash (later designated for assignment)
- Claimed RHP George Soriano off waivers from Orioles (later lost on waivers to Nationals)
- Claimed LHP José Suarez off waivers from Orioles
Option Decisions
- Team exercised $18MM option on LHP Chris Sale (later extended)
- SS Ha-Seong Kim declined $16MM player option (later re-signed for $20MM)
- Team declined $8MM option on minor league IF David Fletcher
- Team exercised $7MM option on 2B Ozzie Albies
- Team declined $7MM option on RHP Pierce Johnson in favor of $250K buyout
- Team declined $5.5MM option on RHP Tyler Kinley in favor of $750K buyout (later re-signed for $4.25MM)
Extensions
- Signed LHP Chris Sale to one-year, $27MM deal covering 2027 season (deal includes $30MM club option for ’28)
Notable Minor League Signings
- José Azocar, Carlos Carrasco, Tristin English, Blayne Enlow, Ben Gamel, Jordan Groshans, Javy Guerra, Elieser Hernández, Brewer Hicklen, James Karinchak, DaShawn Keirsey Jr., Sandy León, Kyle Nelson (later released), Martín Pérez, Austin Pope, Sean Reid-Foley, Aaron Schunk, Tayler Scott, Rowdy Tellez, Connor Thomas, Chadwick Tromp, Darius Vines, Luke Williams
Notable Losses
- Marcell Ozuna, Charlie Morton (retired), Jake Fraley (lost on waivers), Vidal Bruján (lost on waivers), Alek Manoah (non-tender), Carson Ragsdale (non-tender), Austin Cox (outright), Carlos D. Rodríguez (outright), Chuckie Robinson (outright), Nathan Wiles (released)
Despite a strong finish, the Braves finished the 2025 campaign 10 games below .500. They missed the playoffs for the first time in seven years, falling to fourth place in the NL East. That disappointing year came with questions about a managerial change. Brian Snitker was in the final year of his contract and turning 70 in October. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos had been adamant the team would welcome Snitker back if he wanted to continue, but the skipper was less committal.
Snitker announced at season’s end that he would not return to the dugout. He’ll remain with the team as a special advisor, a fitting transition for an organizational lifer whose time managing in the farm system dates to the early 1980s. For the first time in nearly a decade, the Braves have a new leader in the MLB dugout.
As is often the case with Atlanta’s player personnel moves, they were tight-lipped about their managerial search process. It’s unclear how many external candidates were under serious consideration. The Braves opted for continuity, elevating bench coach Walt Weiss to the position in early November. Weiss has been on the staff since the 2018 season and has four seasons of managerial experience. He led the Rockies between 2013-16, with Colorado winning between 66 and 75 games in those years.
Although Weiss was an internal hire, the Braves changed most of the coaching staff. Former Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino takes the bench coach role. They parted with longtime pitching coach Rick Kranitz, bringing in former Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner as his replacement. Hitting coach Tim Hyers returns for a second season.
Atlanta’s roster maneuvering began with a few notable option decisions. The team made easy calls to exercise their options on Chris Sale ($18MM) and Ozzie Albies ($7MM). Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim declined his $16MM player option, which had seemed increasingly likely as he generated a fair amount of buzz after Atlanta claimed him off waivers from the Rays. The Braves declined their $7MM option on setup man Pierce Johnson, who had struggled down the stretch. More surprisingly, they also bought out Tyler Kinley on what had seemed a reasonable $5.5MM option.
Anthopoulos said the team wanted to preserve as much financial flexibility as possible at the beginning of the offseason. They needed to do something at shortstop. Closer Raisel Iglesias was hitting free agency. Injuries had exposed a lack of rotation depth in 2025.
While acknowledging the need to acquire multiple relievers, Anthopoulos said in November that the priorities were shortstop and starting pitching (relayed by David O’Brien). “We’re going to focus on those spots. We’ll see where those lead us, what the acquisition costs are and all that, and then we’ll turn our attention to the bullpen,” he said from the GM Meetings.
That may well have been the plan, but it’s not how things played out. The free agent relief market moved much more quickly than the hitters or starting pitchers. Atlanta was as aggressive as any team in that arena. They started by re-signing Iglesias on a one-year, $16MM deal. The 36-year-old closer had overcome an early season home run spike to post a solid 3.21 ERA with an excellent strikeout and walk profile over 70 appearances.
The Braves would make a bigger bullpen splash three weeks later. They brought in two-time All-Star Robert Suarez on a three-year, $45MM contract in early December. Suarez has high-end velocity and has posted consecutive sub-3.00 ERA seasons. He led the National League with 40 saves, though the Braves confirmed that he’ll move into a setup role in deference to the incumbent Iglesias.
It’s a significant investment for a reliever’s age 35-37 seasons. Atlanta committed a combined $29MM to their 2026 payroll in their late-innings duo. They were clearly motivated to make a splash at the back of the bullpen. Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported that the Braves made a five-year offer to top free agent closer Edwin Díaz before they signed Suarez. Díaz opted for a three-year deal with the Dodgers instead (presumably at a much higher annual rate) and Atlanta moved quickly to the former Padres closer.
The Braves built out the bullpen with a handful of smaller free agent pickups. They brought Kinley back on a $4.25MM guarantee with a ’27 club option, confirming they made the right call to decline his slightly higher priced option for 2026.
Atlanta non-tendered and re-signed middle reliever Joel Payamps for $2.25MM. Danny Young and Ian Hamilton joined the organization on a split contract and non-guaranteed deal, respectively. Young will miss the majority of the season as he rehabs last May’s Tommy John surgery; Hamilton has already been outrighted off the 40-man roster.
The Braves should have one of the league’s stronger bullpens. Iglesias and Suarez are an elite one-two pairing. Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer offer Weiss a pair of quality left-handers, while Kinley and Payamps slot nicely into the middle innings. Daysbel Hernández is behind as he rehabs last year’s shoulder injury but should get a middle relief spot once he’s healthy. Out-of-options waiver pickup Osvaldo Bido nabs the final bullpen job for the time being.
Atlanta’s relief corps took one notable injury hit over the winter. Former setup man Joe Jiménez is dealing with another seemingly significant left knee issue. He missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing surgery the prior offseason. Jiménez required a cleanup procedure to repair cartilage damage last November. He was placed on the 60-day injured list at the start of camp, and it’s unclear when (or if) the Braves anticipate him pitching this year.
Although the bullpen was fixed, the Braves had yet to fully address either the rotation or shortstop as the Winter Meetings concluded. The latter position was essentially a waiting game on whether Kim would re-sign. Atlanta never seemed interested in spending on Bo Bichette. Kim was the only other starting shortstop available in free agency. The trade market at the position was similarly barren.
The Braves gave themselves some cover as they awaited Kim’s decision. They lined up a trade with the Astros that sent last year’s starting shortstop Nick Allen to Houston for Mauricio Dubón. Allen is a superlative defender but probably has the lightest bat of any non-catcher in the league.
Dubón is a Gold Glove utility player who should be a capable defensive shortstop. He’s a below-average hitter but certainly provides more at the plate than Allen did last year. The Braves paid $4.7MM in the difference between the infielders’ respective arbitration salaries. Dubón will be a free agent next offseason.
Dubón raised the floor at shortstop while having the versatility to play a multi-positional role if the Braves brought Kim back. They were tied to free agent utility infielder Willi Castro as well, but they ended up landing their preferred target in the middle of December. Kim returned on a one-year, $20MM deal. He reportedly declined a four-year, $48MM offer from the Athletics to take the higher salary in a familiar setting. Kim picked up an extra $4MM over the player option value, while the Braves solidified shortstop.
That was the plan, at least. It’s on hold after Kim slipped on ice in his native South Korea and tore a tendon in his right middle finger. He flew back to Atlanta to undergo surgery that’ll sideline him for the first four to six weeks of the season. It magnified the importance of the Dubón pickup, as he’s penciled back in as the everyday shortstop to begin the year.
Immediately after the Kim injury, the Braves signed Jorge Mateo to a big league deal for marginally more than the league minimum. He’ll work as a backup shortstop who could be pushed off the roster once Kim is healthy. While shortstop is in flux, the rest of the infield is settled. Matt Olson and Albies will play every day on the right side. Austin Riley is back from last year’s core surgery to man third base.
Catcher Sean Murphy also underwent an operation at the end of the 2025 season — a labrum repair in his right hip, in his case. Murphy has apparently played through hip pain for years. He’s starting the season on the injured list. The Braves have one of the sport’s best young catchers in Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin. Murphy’s absence opens some at-bats at designated hitter. Atlanta could ease his workload even if he’s back from the injured list before the end of May.
That freed up enough playing time that the Braves felt comfortable adding left fielder Mike Yastrzemski on a two-year, $23MM deal. A multi-year contract came as a surprise for a player who turns 36 in August. Yastrzemski has a long track record as a slightly above-average regular. He’s coming off a big finish to the 2025 season after being traded from the Giants to the Royals at the deadline.
Yastrzemski joins Michael Harris II and Ronald Acuña Jr. as the projected starting outfield. Righty-hitting Eli White can work as a short side platoon player to take some at-bats from Yastrzemski against lefty pitching. That was supposed to move Jurickson Profar to the primary DH role.
That plan was also scuttled, as Spring Training brought the news that Profar had again tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance. It’s his second straight year serving a PED ban. This one comes with a 162-game suspension, so he’ll miss the entire season and forfeit his $15MM salary. He’s under contract for a matching amount next year in the final season of what has become a massive headache of a free agent signing. It’s unclear if the Braves intend to keep him around or will eat the money and move on.
First baseman Dominic Smith, who signed a minor league contract over the winter, is set to open the season as the DH against right-handed pitching. Smith had a solid half-season for the Giants last year (.284/.333/.417 in 63 games) and hit pretty well this spring. The Braves re-signed him to a split contract at the end of camp, giving him a 40-man roster spot. He’ll be paid at a $1.25MM rate while he’s on the MLB team.
Atlanta did the same with veteran infielder Kyle Farmer, who’ll provide a right-handed bat off the bench. Farmer hasn’t hit much over the past two seasons and is coming off a very difficult season, batting .227/.280/.365 across 300 plate appearances for the Rockies. He’s also making $1.25MM for time in the majors on a split deal.
Smith and Farmer each have the service time to refuse minor league assignments, but their respective contracts presumably come with solid minor league salaries that could incentivize them to accept a future assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett. Farmer beat out-of-options infielder Brett Wisely for the last bench spot.
The Braves still needed a backup catcher for the first month and a half of the season. Jonah Heim, non-tendered by the Rangers in November, will fill that role. He signed a $1.5MM contract on the heels of a second straight rough season. Heim was an above-average regular and the starter on Texas’ 2023 World Series team. He has hit .217/.269/.334 with declining defensive grades over the past two years.
For all the activity on the position player and bullpen fronts, the Braves did curiously little in the rotation. Their biggest starting pitching move was a minor league deal for veteran lefty Martín Pérez. Anthopoulos said in February that the team was comfortable with their depth and felt they’d only benefit from adding a playoff-caliber starter. That’s a much different message from his comments in November.
It’s true that the intervening three months raised the team’s confidence in Grant Holmes, who finished last season with a UCL sprain but has successfully rehabbed without surgery to date. They’re surely encouraged by the development of prospects JR Ritchie and Didier Fuentes (the latter of whom will open the season in the big league bullpen after a dominant spring).
At the same time, it’s difficult to justify completely eschewing the rotation market given the injury histories of their returning starters. Zac Gallen, Justin Verlander, Chris Bassitt, Zack Littell and the still unsigned Lucas Giolito were among the starters who lingered in free agency into February. Gallen was the only one among that group who was attached to a qualifying offer. They all signed one-year deals (or are virtually certain to do so, in Giolito’s case). Did the Braves not consider any of them an upgrade over Joey Wentz, Bryce Elder or José Suarez?
It seems likelier that payroll was the obstacle, though they haven’t reallocated any of the $15MM they’re not paying to Profar. If that’s the case, it raises questions about whether they’d have been better served adding a starter than committing as much money as they did to the back of the bullpen — or whether Kim is a significant enough upgrade over Dubón that it made sense to pay him $20MM (even if the finger injury itself was obviously unforeseeable).
The already flimsy rotation depth has taken a number of hits this spring. Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep each underwent surgeries to remove loose bodies from their elbows. They’ll miss most or all of the first half. Spencer Strider has an oblique strain that’ll cost him at least a few weeks. That would have drawn Wentz into the rotation, but he tore his ACL in a collision covering first base and will miss the whole season. They already knew that AJ Smith-Shawver wouldn’t be a factor after last June’s Tommy John procedure.
Sale is back at the top of the rotation. He has his own significant injury history, but he’s currently healthy and a Cy Young caliber arm when he’s on the mound. It’s pivotal that Holmes’ elbow holds up, as he’s the #2 starter for the time being.
Reynaldo López is seemingly the third starter. He made one appearance last year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. A fastball that usually sits in the 95-96 mph range averaged 91.3 mph this spring. The velocity might tick up a little bit as he gets into the season but probably isn’t climbing by four miles per hour. Even if he’s currently healthy, it’s unlikely he’s throwing 140+ innings.
Elder and Suarez are fringe roster types. The Braves placed the latter on waivers a couple months ago, losing him to the Orioles only to claim him back a few weeks later. They’re now each in the season-opening rotation. They’re going to need Ritchie and Fuentes to excel as rookies. The former will begin the year in Triple-A but should be up before long. Fuentes is going to start in relief with a plan to option him a few weeks into the season to build up as a starter in the minors. That’s a sensible course of action, but he’s a 20-year-old who pitched a total of 70 innings last year. He’s not logging a full rotation workload.
They’ll need to stay afloat for a couple months to benefit from midseason injury returns and potential deadline pickups. It’s certainly not out of the question, but there’s limited margin for error in a division that features the Phillies and Mets.
The Braves did make one notable move on the rotation front, albeit one that has no real impact on the 2026 picture. They hammered out an extension with Sale this spring, paying him a $27MM salary for the ’27 season while adding a $30MM club option for 2028. It’s a sensible move to extend a relationship that has worked extremely well for both sides. It also removes the already long shot possibility that the Braves might have traded Sale at the deadline if they weren’t performing up to expectations.
They’re certainly hoping they’ll play well enough to approach deadline season as buyers either way. Few teams match the high-end talent the Braves possess. A team with Acuña, Baldwin, Olson, and Riley plus an excellent bullpen can certainly be dangerous. This is among the most top-heavy rosters in MLB, though, putting a lot of pressure on the team’s pitching development to overcome the injuries.
How would you grade the Braves' offseason?
Royals Designate Drew Waters For Assignment
The Royals designated outfielder Drew Waters for assignment as they finalized their Opening Day roster this afternoon. He’s out of options and did not make the team. Kansas City filled the open 40-man roster spot by selecting the contract of righty reliever Eli Morgan, though he was optioned to Triple-A Omaha and will not break camp.
Kansas City placed three players on the injured list. Reliever James McArthur (recovery from 2025 elbow surgery) and swingman Stephen Kolek (left oblique strain) go on the 15-day IL. Second baseman Michael Massey (left calf strain) hits the 10-day injured list. Those placements are retroactive to March 22. Massey was the only borderline case of the three. His absence means infielder Nick Loftin and center fielder Tyler Tolbert join Lane Thomas and Starling Marte on the season-opening bench.
Waters, a former second-round pick of the Braves, has played parts of four seasons with Kansas City. The 27-year-old has a .234/.300/.369 slash line while striking out 31% of the time in just under 700 career plate appearances. He batted .188 with one home run across 16 games this spring. Waters is an average runner who can play all three outfield spots. His defensive grades in center field have been fine but unexceptional, not enough to overcome the limited production at the plate.
Tolbert also has a modest offensive ceiling, but he’s a plus athlete who’s better suited to make an impact as a defensive replacement or pinch runner. He also has a couple minor league options remaining, so the Royals could send him or Loftin down once Massey is healthy. The Royals will trade Waters or, more likely, run him through waivers within the next five days.
Morgan signed a minor league deal in January. The 29-year-old had a strong camp, tossing 10 1/3 innings of one-run ball with 12 strikeouts. Morgan doesn’t throw hard but has an excellent changeup that helped him find success early in his career with the Guardians. His declining strikeout rate led the Guards to trade him to the Cubs last year. Morgan was rocked over seven appearances before going down with an elbow impingement that knocked him out for the remainder of the season. The Cubs non-tendered him in November.
Kansas City didn’t have room for Morgan on the Opening Day roster. They would have needed to jettison one of the out-of-options Alex Lange or Bailey Falter or demote lefty Daniel Lynch IV, whose velocity has ticked up this spring. They’ll keep Morgan in the organization by taking advantage of his remaining minor league option year. It’s likely that Morgan’s deal had some kind of upward mobility or opt-out clause that otherwise would have allowed him to explore other opportunities.
That also seems to be the case for veteran reliever Héctor Neris, who was in camp as a minor league signee. The MLB.com transaction log indicates he was released over the weekend once the Royals decided he wouldn’t break camp. Neris failed to record a strikeout while giving up 11 runs over 6 1/3 innings this spring.
Rays Add Cam Booser To 40-Man Roster
The Rays added lefty reliever Cam Booser to their 40-man roster, the team announced. He will not break camp, as the club optioned him to Triple-A Durham. Tampa Bay placed righty reliever Steven Wilson on the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. He’s dealing with lumbar disc inflammation and will be out for at least the first two months of the season.
Tampa Bay also announced four expected IL placements. Taylor Walls (right oblique strain) and Gavin Lux (right shoulder impingement) went on the 10-day injured list. Ryan Pepiot (right hip inflammation) and Edwin Uceta (right shoulder impingement) go on the shelf for at least 15 days. The Rays can backdate those moves to March 22.
Booser signed a minor league deal in January. That included an upward mobility clause which required the team to add him to the 40-man roster or cut him loose if another club were willing to give him a roster spot. The Rays opted for the former route, though his two remaining option years meant they can still keep him in the minors.
The 33-year-old southpaw (34 in May) had an impressive camp. He fired 11 innings of one-run ball with 12 strikeouts and four walks. Booser has a 95 mph fastball but leaned more heavily on his mid-80s cutter than anything else this spring. He has pitched in parts of two MLB seasons. Booser found success as a rookie with the Red Sox in 2024 but struggled after being traded to the White Sox a year ago. He allowed a 5.52 ERA with huge walk and home run rates across 31 innings for Chicago, who dropped him at the end of the year.
Tigers Designate Dylan Smith For Assignment
The Tigers announced they’ve designated reliever Dylan Smith for assignment. They needed to open a 40-man roster spot for rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who is breaking camp. Detroit also placed three players on the injured list, retroactive to March 22: Sawyer Gipson-Long (left oblique strain), Bailey Horn (elbow arthroscopy), and Trey Sweeney (shoulder strain). Sweeney goes on the 10-day IL, while the pitchers land on the 15-day version.
Smith, 25, was called up last May. He made seven big league appearances, allowing two runs across 13 innings. The Alabama product recorded just four strikeouts while walking five batters and hitting three more. He spent most of the season’s second half on the minor league injured list. Smith was healthy this spring, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings before being optioned.
The 6’2″ righty has a 94-95 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider. He has fanned nearly 26% of opponents with an ERA just under 4.00 over four seasons in the minors. Smith has a pair of options remaining and will be traded or placed on waivers within the next five days.
Cubs Place Justin Steele On 60-Day IL, Designate Jack Neely For Assignment
The Cubs announced that left-hander Justin Steele has been placed on the 60-day injured list and right-hander Jack Neely has been designated for assignment. Those moves open two 40-man spots for outfielder Michael Conforto and infielder/outfielder Scott Kingery. It had been reported in recent days that Conforto would make the team, with Kingery likely being added as well.
Steele is working back from last April’s UCL surgery. He has advanced to facing hitters in live batting practice sessions, according to the MLB.com injury tracker. The Cubs apparently don’t feel he’ll be ready for major league action within the first two months of the season, though. Steele could go on a minor league rehab assignment towards the end of April with an eye to making his season debut in late May.
Neely, a 25-year-old reliever, made six appearances late in the 2024 season. He gave up six runs in as many innings. A former 11th-round pick of the Yankees, he was traded to the Cubs just before his MLB debut as part of the return for Mark Leiter Jr. Neely spent all of last season in the minors, struggling to a 6.23 ERA across 30 1/3 innings.
The righty has a sinker-slider combination that misses bats but which he struggles to command. Neely struck out 28% of opponents while issuing walks at an untenable 19% rate in Triple-A last season. He’s likely to wind up on waivers this week. Neely has one minor league option year remaining and wouldn’t need to be on the MLB roster if another team takes a flier on the stuff.
Conforto and Kingery secure the final two position player jobs, beating out fellow non-roster invitee Chas McCormick in that role. Matt Shaw and backup catcher Miguel Amaya fill out Craig Counsell’s four-man bench.
Diamondbacks Designate Grant Holman For Assignment
The Diamondbacks announced they’ve designated reliever Grant Holman for assignment. They also placed righty Cristian Mena (shoulder strain) and left-hander Blake Walston (rehabbing Tommy John surgery) on the 60-day injured list. They needed to clear three 40-man roster spots for Joe Ross, Jonathan Loáisiga and Ildemaro Vargas — all of whom have officially been selected onto the MLB roster.
They placed four more players on the injured list, as expected. Adrian Del Castillo (left calf strain), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (recovering from ACL tear), and Tyler Locklear (rehabbing elbow/shoulder surgeries) all hit the 10-day IL. Merrill Kelly lands on the 15-day injured list with intercostal nerve irritation. Those placements are retroactive to March 22.
Arizona claimed Holman off waivers from the Athletics early in Spring Training. The 25-year-old righty has pitched parts of two seasons with the A’s, allowing a 4.66 ERA across 38 2/3 innings. He has fanned a below-average 18.8% of opponents against a lofty 10.2% walk rate. Holman made just one appearance this spring before being optioned, working around a walk to toss a scoreless inning.
The Diamondbacks will likely try to run him through waivers this week. Holman has just over one year of MLB service and still has a couple minor league options remaining. He works in the 94-95 mph range with his fastball while using a splitter and slider as his offspeed pitches.