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Twins Sign Matt Canterino To Two-Year Minor League Deal

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The Twins re-signed Matt Canterino to a two-year minor league contract, they informed reporters (including Betsy Helfand of The St. Paul Pioneer-Press). Minnesota had released Canterino, who will miss this season after undergoing shoulder surgery during Spring Training, last week.

That sequence came in response to the righty’s latest in what has been a brutal series of injuries. Minnesota no longer wanted to carry Canterino on the 40-man roster. Injured players cannot go on outright waivers, so they either needed to add him to the major league injured list or release him. Placing him on the major league IL would have required paying him the $760K minimum salary, and there’s a decent chance they would have taken him off the 40-man when the injured list goes away during the offseason anyhow.

Canterino was once one of Minnesota’s most promising young arms. The Rice product ranked in the top half of Baseball America’s ranking of the organization’s top 30 prospects every season between 2020-24. A mid-90s fastball and plus slider gave him a chance at a mid-rotation role or potential leverage work out of the bullpen.

He just hasn’t been able to stay healthy for almost his entire professional career. Canterino battled elbow issues early in his minor league tenure. That was a precursor for 2022 Tommy John surgery. He missed two seasons recovering from that procedure. Minnesota added him to the 40-man roster during the 2022-23 offseason so as not to lose him in the Rule 5 draft, but he hasn’t thrown a regular season pitch since then. They were hopeful that he’d return from the elbow problem this year. The shoulder issue arose during Spring Training and will cost him yet another season.

Canterino has been very effective in his intermittent stints. He has a 1.48 ERA with a 39.1% strikeout rate over 85 career minor league frames. The Twins will be able to see how his stuff looks next year, probably in a relief role, without carrying him on the 40-man. He’ll be entering his age-28 season.

Dodgers Place Tyler Glasnow On Injured List

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The Dodgers placed Tyler Glasnow on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Reliever Noah Davis is up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his spot on the active roster.

Glasnow left yesterday’s start after one inning upon experiencing shoulder discomfort. It was the second consecutive early exit for the 6’8″ right-hander, who had departed his previous start with cramping in his calf. Shoulder soreness is a more concerning development, though manager Dave Roberts somewhat downplayed the issue when speaking with reporters before tonight’s game against Miami. Roberts indicated Glasnow was battling through “overall body soreness” but stated they didn’t believe there was anything structurally wrong with his shoulder (via Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times).

While the inflammation diagnosis aligns with that, it leaves an uncertain timeline for Glasnow’s return. It’s the third IL stint of his year-plus tenure in Los Angeles. He missed a bit of time around the All-Star Break last season with a mild back concern. An August elbow sprain ended his season and prevented him from contributing during the playoff run. Glasnow’s 134 innings nevertheless represented the heaviest workload of his major league career, as durability has long been his biggest question.

Glasnow’s command has been wobbly in the early going. He has walked 11 hitters and given up four home runs through his first 18 innings. That has led to a mediocre 4.50 earned run average even though he’s striking out 30% of opponents. He was excellent last season before the injury, working to a 3.49 ERA with a 32.2% strikeout rate.

The Dodgers now have eight starting pitchers on the injured list. They’ll get one back when Tony Gonsolin makes his season debut on Wednesday. Gonsolin is the only short-term reinforcement. All the other injured starters aside from Glasnow and Blake Snell are on the 60-day IL and won’t be back until late May at the earliest. Snell remains shut down from throwing with shoulder soreness of his own.

Los Angeles is off Thursday but will play on 10 straight days from May 2-11. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dustin May, Roki Sasaki and Gonsolin will be part of the regular rotation. For the final turn, they could opt for spot starts or bullpen games from the group of Landon Knack, Justin Wrobleski and Bobby Miller. One other option would be to build Ben Casparius back into a starting role, which Roberts said this evening is on the table (via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic).

Casparius has worked from the bullpen during his big league career. His lone “start” went 2 2/3 innings to kick off a bullpen game. He built up to 3 2/3 frames during yesterday’s outing after the Glasnow injury. Casparius started 19 of 21 appearances in Triple-A last season, so he’s familiar with the role. He has worked to a 2.91 ERA while striking out 27.1% of opponents over 11 games in his first extended big league action.

Looking Ahead To Club Options: NL East

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MLBTR continues our division by division look at next year’s team/mutual option class with the NL East. Only three teams in the division have such options, though Atlanta’s group of decisions involve some of the more notable players in the class.

Previous installments: player options/opt-outs, NL West, AL West, NL Central, AL Central

Atlanta Braves

This is the final guaranteed season of the $35MM extension which Albies signed early in 2019. The deal was widely considered a massively team-friendly contract the day it happened, and that has proven to be the case. Albies has made a pair of All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger Awards, and twice found his name on MVP ballots over the course of the deal.

There’s no intrigue to this one. The Braves will exercise the option, which ends up being a $3MM investment after factoring in the $4MM buyout. There will be another $7MM club option (with no buyout) for 2027 that will probably be a similarly easy call. Albies’ offense has declined over the past two seasons, as he’s hitting just .246/.300/.398 in 553 plate appearances since the start of 2024. The $3MM difference between the option price and the buyout is low-end utility player money, though. Even if the Braves start to question whether Albies remains the answer at second base, there’d be surplus trade value.

Atlanta signed Arcia to a three-year, $7.3MM extension on the eve of the 2023 season. It looked like an odd move at the time, an unnecessary multi-year commitment for a likely utility infielder. Then Arcia broke out with an All-Star season while replacing Dansby Swanson as Atlanta’s everyday shortstop. The contract looked like a major coup for the front office.

Things have swung back in the opposite direction over the past year-plus. Arcia’s bat cratered last year, as he turned in a .218/.271/.354 line over 602 plate appearances. While the Braves stuck with him as their starting shortstop, he’s lost that role with a dismal start to the ’25 season. Arcia has hit .200 with eight strikeouts, one walk, and one extra-base hit (a double) through 31 trips. Nick Allen jumped him on the depth chart and has started the past five games. Arcia wouldn’t need to do much to convince the Braves to exercise an option that amounts to a $1MM decision, but he’s no longer a lock to even stick on the roster all season.

Johnson dominated over 24 appearances after being acquired from the Rockies at the 2023 deadline. The righty would have been one of the better setup men in the following free agent class, but the Braves signed him to a two-year extension with a $14.25MM guarantee to keep him off the market. He has made consecutive $7MM salaries and has a matching club option with a $250K buyout for next season.

It has worked out nicely. Johnson fired 56 1/3 innings of 3.67 ERA ball with a strong 28.4% strikeout rate last year. He has punched out 10 while allowing four runs through 9 1/3 frames to begin this season. His whiffs are slightly down, while opponents are making more hard contact than they did a season ago. Those are worth monitoring, but Johnson’s overall body of work in Atlanta consists of a 2.89 earned run average with 109 strikeouts over 89 1/3 innings. As of now, a $6.75MM price point seems like solid value.

Sale’s first season in Atlanta was brilliant. He posted an MLB-best 2.38 ERA while leading the National League with 225 strikeouts. He won his first career Cy Young award after finishing in the top six on seven occasions earlier in his career. He reestablished himself as an ace following some injury-plagued years. The trade in which he was acquired from the Red Sox for struggling second baseman Vaughn Grissom has been a steal.

The left-hander’s uneven start to 2025 has contributed to the Braves’ mediocre April. Sale has allowed 5.40 earned runs per nine through his first six outings. They’ve gone 3-3 in those contests. It’s largely the product of an inflated .400 batting average on balls in play against him. Sale’s 27.3% strikeout rate is down nearly five percentage points relative to last season, but it remains a well above-average mark for a starting pitcher. He’s getting whiffs on 12.9% of his offerings. His slider has been as lethal as ever. Opponents have feasted on his fastball so far, but there’s no dramatic change in velocity or spin. While the poor start has probably tanked his chance of repeating as the Cy Young winner, the $18MM option still seems like an easy “yes” for the front office.

Miami Marlins

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New York Mets

Over the weekend, Raley reportedly agreed to terms with the Mets on a one-year deal with a club option. The signing has not been finalized, nor has the money been reported. Raley is working back from last May’s Tommy John surgery.

The Mets also re-signed Smith on a one-year deal with an option after TJS — a July operation, in his case. He’s making $1MM for what will probably be a completely lost season. The Mets get an affordable $2MM option for next season that they’re likely to exercise so long as Smith doesn’t suffer a setback. If they do pick it up, he could earn another $750K based on his appearance total next season. Smith would make $50K apiece at 30, 35, and 40 appearances; $75K for 45 and 50 games; $100K at 55 and 60 appearances; and $125K each for 65 and 70 games. He owns a 3.48 ERA over parts of six seasons as a quality middle reliever for New York.

Philadelphia Phillies

Alvarado signed for two years and $18.55MM in new money on a deal covering the 2024-25 seasons. He has made $9MM salaries in each of the past two years and has a matching option with a $500K buyout. That’s a little below the market rate for high-leverage relievers, which Alvarado has proven himself to be.

Over parts of five seasons with the Phils, the lefty carries a 3.34 earned run average. Bouts of wildness have led to some inconsistency, but he’s shown the ability to miss bats at plus rates while throwing as hard as any left-hander in the sport. Alvarado’s 24.4% strikeout rate last season was oddly pedestrian, but he’s fanned nearly 30% of batters faced in his career.

He has been back at peak form to begin this season. He has punched out 18 of 56 hitters (32.1%) while allowing only three runs through 13 2/3 innings. Alvarado has collected five saves and a pair of holds without blowing a lead, and he’s operating with career-best control (3.6% walk rate). It’s tough to envision him continuing to throw this many strikes — he walked more than 10% of opponents in seven consecutive years leading up to this one — but he’s the Phils’ most trusted reliever right now. This is tending towards an easy pickup.

Shortly before Opening Day last year, Strahm preemptively signed a one-year extension covering the 2025 season. The lefty is making $7.5MM this year and has a club/vesting option for next season. It begins as a $4.5MM team option. The price would jump by $1MM apiece if he reaches 40, 50 and 60 innings pitched this year. If he hits 60 innings and passes a postseason physical, it vests at $7.5MM. It’s a straight vesting option, not one with an opt-out, so Strahm would return on a guaranteed deal if it triggers.

That’s a result with which the Phillies would probably be happy. Strahm turned in an excellent ’24 campaign, working to a 1.87 ERA while striking out a third of opposing hitters over 66 appearances. He has fanned 15 through his first 11 2/3 frames this year. Strahm has surrendered five runs, four earned, on 11 hits and four walks. His 91.8 MPH average four-seam fastball is down from last season’s 93.4 mark, which is a little alarming, but the results have been solid and he remains one of the more reliable setup options for skipper Rob Thomson.

Washington Nationals

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Orioles Place Jordan Westburg On Injured List

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The Orioles announced a number of roster moves just before today’s series opener against the Yankees. Third baseman Jordan Westburg and catcher Gary Sánchez have each landed on the 10-day injured list. Westburg’s placement, which is retroactive to April 27, is due to a left hamstring strain. Sánchez is battling right wrist inflammation. The O’s selected third baseman Emmanuel Rivera and catcher Maverick Handley onto the MLB roster in their places. Baltimore also confirmed the Walter Pennington waiver claim which MLBTR had reported this afternoon.  They needed to create two openings on the 40-man roster, which they did by transferring Grayson Rodriguez and Colton Cowser to the 60-day injured list.

It continues a frustrating start to the season for Westburg. He made the All-Star game behind a .264/.312/.481 showing a season ago. He’s been out to a much slower pace this year, posting a .217/.265/.391 slash through 23 games. Westburg has hit four homers, but a drop in his hard contact rates have contributed to a mediocre .242 average on balls in play. He had a stretch of seven consecutive hitless games during the middle of the month. He’d begun to turn things around, with hits in six of his last seven, before hamstring discomfort kept him out of Sunday’s lineup.

Ramón Urías has drawn into the lineup at the hot corner over the past few days. He’ll take over as the starting third baseman while Westburg is on the shelf. Urías is a good depth infielder. He won a Gold Glove a few seasons ago and has shown himself to be a slightly above-average hitter over parts of six seasons. He has raced out to a .317/.386/.400 start this year, drawing eight walks against 11 punchouts over 70 trips to the plate.

Rivera comes up to join Jorge Mateo as multi-positional infielders on Brandon Hyde’s bench. It’s his first major league call of the season. Baltimore had outrighted the defensive specialist off their 40-man roster during the offseason. He accepted a minor league assignment and has appeared in 17 games with Triple-A Norfolk. Rivera is batting .308/.370/.338 with plus contact skills but minimal power (two doubles and no homers) across 73 plate appearances.

A veteran of parts of four MLB seasons, Rivera has suited up for four teams at the highest level. That includes a productive 27-game stint with the Orioles late last year. His overall offensive track record is fairly modest, as he owns a career .244/.306/.369 batting line. He has above-average marks for his third base defense. He’s out of options, so the Orioles would need to DFA him again if they want to take him off the big league roster at any point.

Baltimore also makes a change behind the plate. Sánchez has worked as Adley Rutschman’s backup after signing an $8.5MM free agent deal. He has started 10 games — nine at catcher and once as the designated hitter — without making an impact. Sánchez has three hits, all singles, with one walk and 12 strikeouts across 35 plate appearances. His injury opens the door for Handley’s major league debut.

A Stanford product, Handley was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 draft. The righty-hitting catcher owns a .224/.342/.344 line over parts of six minor league seasons. Handley’s offensive upside is limited by middling power, but he’s a very patient hitter who has worked a lot of walks. He went unselected in last winter’s Rule 5 draft but has been hitting well in Norfolk to begin the season. Handley owns a .346/.433/.558 slash through 15 games. His broader minor league numbers suggest he’s unlikely to carry anything like that over against MLB pitching, but he should provide a reasonably high-floor backup behind Rutschman as long as Sánchez is out of action.

The IL transfers for Rodriguez and Cowser are essentially procedural moves. They backdate to the time of their initial IL placements in late March. Rodriguez opened the season on the shelf with elbow inflammation and was shut back down after sustaining a mild lat strain. He’s still a few weeks from throwing and probably down into June or July. Cowser broke his left thumb diving into first base during the first week of the season. That came with an initial 6-8 week timetable. There haven’t been any recent updates on his status, but the O’s determined he wouldn’t be ready for MLB action before the final few days of May at the earliest.

Triston McKenzie Accepts Outright Assignment With Guardians

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Triston McKenzie has passed through waivers unclaimed. He has accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A Columbus. Tim Stebbins of MLB.com was among those to pass along the news.

Cleveland designated McKenzie for assignment last week. That the right-hander cleared waivers points to how far his stock has fallen as he’s battled injuries over the past couple seasons. McKenzie is a former top prospect who seemed to break out as a high-end starter in 2022. He posted a 2.96 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning over 31 appearances three years ago. He seemed to be a mid-rotation arm at the very least with a chance to develop into a #1 or #2 starter.

Clearly, that’s not how things have played out. McKenzie barely pitched in 2023. A teres major strain in his shoulder shelved him for a couple months to begin the season. He returned in June but quickly suffered a UCL sprain in his throwing elbow. McKenzie avoided surgery but did not return until the final week of the season.

Hopes for a rebound last year did not materialize. McKenzie’s fastball velocity dropped to a career-low 91.1 MPH. Opponents blitzed him for a 5.11 ERA across 16 starts, and he spent the second half of the season on optional assignment to Columbus. The results weren’t any better in the minors, as he allowed 5.23 earned runs per nine while walking almost 14% of his opponents. That was his final minor league option season.

Cleveland signed him to a $1.95MM arbitration contract in November. That indicated they had some hope that he could turn things around, as his out-of-options status meant he’d need to stick on the active roster or be exposed to waivers. He worked out of the bullpen through the season’s first few weeks. McKenzie’s average fastball speed has jumped closer to 94 MPH in short stints, but neither the command nor the results were there. He allowed seven runs on as many hits through 5 1/3 innings. He walked seven batters and threw three wild pitches while recording just four strikeouts.

McKenzie has between three and five years of major league service time. That means he could decline an outright assignment but would have needed to forfeit the approximate $1.6MM remaining on his salary to test free agency. The 29 other teams all passed on a chance to add him to their big league roster, suggesting he probably would’ve been limited to minor league offers if he hit the market. That made accepting the assignment to Columbus an obvious call. He’ll try to work his way back onto Stephen Vogt’s staff and would become a minor league free agent at the end of the season if the Guards don’t call him up before then.

Blue Jays Re-Sign Jacob Barnes To Minors Contract

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TODAY: The Blue Jays have re-signed Barnes to a new minor league deal, according to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon.

APRIL 22: Reliever Jacob Barnes elected free agency after being outrighted by the Blue Jays, relays Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Toronto designated the veteran righty for assignment over the weekend.

Barnes broke camp after signing a minor league contract in February. He made six appearances, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and a trio of walks through eight innings. He struck out five. Barnes allowed multiple earned runs in each of his first two outings. He followed up with three consecutive scoreless appearances but surrendered five runs in an inning against Seattle on Saturday. That wound up costing him his roster spot.

A veteran of parts of 10 MLB seasons, Barnes has bounced all around the league. This was his second stint in Toronto, as he’d also made 10 appearances for the Jays in 2021. He has pitched at the MLB level with nine teams overall. Barnes kicked off his career with three and a half seasons in the middle innings for the Brewers. He hasn’t spent multiple consecutive seasons with the same team since 2019, instead moving around as a journeyman depth arm.

Barnes did spend all of last season with the same team. He agreed to a minor league deal with the Nationals and made their big league roster in mid-April. He held his middle relief spot from then on, working to a 4.36 ERA through 66 innings. He struck out just under 20% of opposing hitters against a solid 7.2% walk rate. He should catch on somewhere via minor league contract in the coming days.

Rays Acquire Travis Jankowski From White Sox

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TODAY: The Rays have officially announced the trade.  In corresponding moves, Montes was optioned to Triple-A, and left-hander Shane McClanahan was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

APRIL 25: The White Sox traded Travis Jankowski to the Rays, according to an announcement from Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate. The outfielder was on a minor league deal and will not require a 40-man roster spot for Tampa Bay. He’ll presumably head to their top farm team in Durham.

Jankowski broke camp with the Sox after signing a minor league deal midway through Spring Training. He only stuck on the roster for a week and a half. Chicago outrighted him off the 40-man, then brought him back on a new minor league contract after he elected free agency. He has spent the past three weeks in Charlotte, batting .261 with a homer in five games.

A left-handed hitter, Jankowski has appeared in the big leagues in 11 straight seasons. He has worked as a fourth or fifth outfielder for most of that time, only twice reaching 300 plate appearances. Jankowski doesn’t provide any kind of power, but he has shown generally solid plate discipline. He was a contributor to the Rangers during their World Series team in 2023, when he hit .263/.357/.332 with nearly as many walks as strikeouts across 287 trips.

The strikeout and walk rates both went in the wrong direction last year. Jankowski managed only a .200/.266/.242 slash across 207 plate appearances. He was limited to minor league offers as a result. He collected three hits, all singles, and one walk across 14 at-bats in his limited MLB look with the White Sox.

Tampa Bay placed Jake Mangum on the injured list yesterday because of a groin strain. They were already without Josh Lowe, Richie Palacios and Jonny DeLuca. They’re using an outfield of Christopher Morel, Kameron Misner and top prospect Chandler Simpson. Utilityman Coco Montes was recalled to replace Mangum. Third catcher Logan Driscoll is the only healthy position player who is on the 40-man roster and on an optional assignment in the minors. Jankowski joins Eloy Jiménez as non-roster outfield options with the Bulls.

Brewers Select Daz Cameron, Place Garrett Mitchell On 10-Day IL

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TODAY: As expected, the Brewers officially selected Cameron’s contract and placed Mitchell on the 10-day IL due to a left oblique strain.  Outfielder Blake Perkins (who has yet to place this season due to a shin fracture) was shifted to the 60-day injured list to create space for Cameron the 40-man roster.

APRIL 25: The Brewers intend to select Daz Cameron onto the major league roster, reports Francys Romero. Milwaukee had acquired him from the Orioles for lefty reliever Grant Wolfram a few weeks ago. They’ll need to create a 40-man roster spot to finalize the promotion.

That seems to be tied to Garrett Mitchell’s status. Milwaukee’s center fielder departed tonight’s loss in St. Louis after experiencing tightness in his left side. Manager Pat Murphy told reporters (including Todd Rosiak of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) that Mitchell will go for an MRI on Saturday. Any kind of oblique strain would lead to an injured list placement.

While the injury opened an outfield spot, Cameron has certainly earned the call. He has been on fire at Triple-A Nashville since the trade. Cameron has connected on five homers while hitting .372 in 10 games. The former supplemental pick and top prospect has a career .253/.341/.436 batting line over seven minor league campaigns.

Cameron has yet to find much success against big league competition. He’s a .201/.263/.330 hitter with 10 homers through 430 major league plate appearances. The 28-year-old appeared in a personal-high 66 games with the A’s a year ago. He hit .200 while striking out at an elevated 27.4% rate. Cameron can play all three outfield spots and provide some right-handed power off the bench.

Switch-hitting Isaac Collins replaced Mitchell in center field after the injury. He has hit .163 with a near-35% strikeout rate over 46 major league plate appearances. Collins had a strong year in Nashville in 2024, batting .273/.386/.475 with 14 longballs and 24 stolen bases. An extended absence for Mitchell could open up his first real opportunity for regular playing time. Milwaukee could also slide Sal Frelick over to center field if they’re comfortable with Christian Yelich taking regular work in left field. They’ve been cautious with Yelich’s defensive workload so far. He has made 20 starts at designated hitter and only five in the outfield.

Twins Place Luke Keaschall On 10-Day IL Due To Forearm Fracture

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TODAY: The Twins officially announced that Keaschall has been placed on the 10-day injured list.  His roster spot will be taken by Clemens, as the trade between the Twins and Phillies has now been officially announced.

APRIL 25: Twins rookie infielder Luke Keaschall suffered a non-displaced fracture in his right forearm during tonight’s win over the Angels. The team announced the injury to reporters (including Phil Miller of The Minnesota Star-Tribune and Dan Hayes of The Athletic).

Keaschall was hit by a Kyle Hendricks pitch on the inside of the arm. He stayed in the game to run the bases but was lifted for Mickey Gasper the next time through. Keaschall started tonight at designated hitter, so it wasn’t clear that he suffered an injury until the pinch-hit appearance. It halts a scorching start to the 22-year-old’s big league career. Keaschall has hit .368 with a .538 on-base percentage through his first 26 plate appearances. He has walked five times with just a pair of strikeouts.

Manager Rocco Baldelli quickly bumped Keaschall to the third spot in the Minnesota batting order. This was his fourth consecutive start there. The righty-hitting infielder has raked since entering pro ball as a second-round pick in 2023. He’s a .297/.415/.470 hitter over 662 minor league plate appearances. The bat has quickly put him among the sport’s top 50-100 prospects.

The Twins have been without Royce Lewis all season after a Spring Training hamstring strain. They lost Willi Castro to an oblique strain yesterday. Brooks Lee returned from an IL stint not too long ago. That pushed the scuffling Jose Miranda back to Triple-A. Minnesota has needed to look outside the organization to patch some of the holes. They acquired Jonah Bride from the Marlins last week and are reportedly in agreement to bring in Kody Clemens from the Phillies.

Keaschall is probably headed for an extended stay on the IL. The Twins will presumably shuffle most of their depth infielders through the DH spot, with Clemens an option to play second base on days when Edouard Julien works as the designated hitter.

Twins Acquire Kody Clemens From Phillies

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TODAY: The trade has been officially announced, with the Phillies receiving cash considerations in exchange for Clemens.

APRIL 25: The Phillies are trading infielder Kody Clemens to the Twins, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Philadelphia had designated him for assignment earlier in the week. Minnesota adds infield depth within an hour of losing rookie second baseman Luke Keaschall to a broken arm.

It’s the second DFA infield pickup for the Twins in as many weeks. They made a similar move to bring in corner bat Jonah Bride from Miami. Clemens, a left-handed hitter, has 402 MLB plate appearances under his belt. He owns a .197/.244/.367 slash over parts of four seasons. The Texas product has been far more productive in Triple-A. Clemens has hit .259/.331/.507 in nearly 1300 plate appearances at the top minor league level.

Clemens spent two-plus seasons in Philadelphia. He was included as part of the Gregory Soto/Matt Vierling trade during the 2022-23 offseason. They’d shuttled him on and off the active roster for the first two seasons, but he has now exhausted his minor league options. Philadelphia couldn’t get him back to Triple-A without running him through waivers. While he broke camp as a result, Clemens wasn’t playing enough to make that a worthwhile use of a roster spot. He didn’t start a single game and had come off the bench for just six plate appearances.

There should be a better path to at-bats in Minnesota. The Twins recently lost Willi Castro to the injured list as well. Clemens and Bride are multi-positional infielders off the bench. Neither can really play shortstop, but Clemens could factor at any of the other infield spots and in the corner outfield. He could play some second base when the Twins want to use Edouard Julien as the DH.

They’ll open an active roster spot by placing Keaschall on the injured list. They created a 40-man roster spot by running minor league catcher Diego Cartaya through outright waivers this afternoon.

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