The Opener: Judge, Torres, Harrison
In case you missed it, Angels outfielder Jo Adell pulled a Jose Canseco on Tuesday against the Rockies (video via MLB).
1. Judge seeing specialist for rib injury
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge is heading for additional tests with a team specialist on the bone bruise in his ribcage, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (h/t Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Boone described the injury as shoulder soreness that Judge had been playing through for weeks, which then became more painful over the weekend. Hoch added in a separate post that while the official diagnosis is a ribcage injury, Judge feels the pain in his shoulder. The reigning MVP hit just .243 last month. His .805 OPS in May was his worst mark for a full month since July 2021.
2. Gleyber homers in return
Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres missed nearly a month with an oblique strain. He came back on Tuesday against the Rays and immediately made an impact. Torres golfed a 3-1 sinker from Steven Matz over the left-center wall for a leadoff home run. It’s the second straight day with a recently returning player hitting a homer for Detroit. The club got outfielder Kerry Carpenter back on Sunday. He picked up a hit in that contest, then went 3-for-5 with a solo shot on Monday. The Tigers have shaken off a four-game losing streak to take the first two from the AL East-leading Rays.
3. Harrison dominates again
Brewers left-hander Kyle Harrison fired 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball last night against the Giants. He piled up a career-high 12 strikeouts. Harrison is two outs short of qualifying for the ERA title, but he’d be second in the league behind only Cristopher Sanchez if he had enough innings. The lefty is forming a terrifying duo with right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. Harrison and The Miz are the first teammates since 1913 with a minimum of 10 starts apiece to have sub-2.00 ERAs and at least 11 strikeouts per nine innings this deep into the season (h/t OptaSTATS on X).
Photo courtesy of Neville E. Guard, Imagn Images
The Opener: Mets, Mlodzinski, deGrom
Big slate for revenge tonight. Kyle Harrison faces the Giants, Mike Burrows gets the Pirates, and Kevin Gausman is back in Atlanta.
1. Extras again for the Mets
The Mets played their 12th extra-inning game of the year on Monday in Seattle. That’s three more than any other club. As Anthony DiComo of MLB.com notes, New York is on pace to set the record for extra-inning games in a season, currently held by the Red Sox (31 in 1943). “Not ideal,” manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, relayed by DiComo. “But it’s part of it. You’ve got to keep going. You’ve got to find a way. I feel like we’ve been playing a lot of close games.” The Mets had won five straight extra-inning contests, including a 10-inning win on Friday against the Marlins. Mariners second baseman Cole Young ended New York’s streak with a walk-off single yesterday.
2. Mlodzinski returns to Pirates
The Pirates reinstated right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski before a three-game series against the Astros. He’s expected to be available to pitch on Tuesday. Mlodzinski was placed on the restricted list over the weekend after the club deemed he wasn’t up for pitching on Sunday against the Twins. The righty recently lost his rotation spot when right-hander Jared Jones returned from the IL. He was a candidate to piggyback with righty Braxton Ashcraft on Sunday. Instead, he could work behind right-hander Bubba Chandler tonight. Chandler hasn’t gone more than five innings in a start since mid-April.
3. deGrom gets 100th win
Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom tossed five scoreless frames against the Cardinals on Monday, earning the win. It was the 100th victory of his 13-year MLB career. He’s the 16th active pitcher to reach the century mark in wins, notes Jeff Jones of MLB.com. deGrom picked up 82 wins during his nine years with the Mets. That included back-to-back Cy Young seasons in 2018 and 2019. The righty recorded 12 wins with the Rangers last year, his most in a season since 2017.
Photo courtesy of Joe Nicholson, Imagn Images
The Opener: Yankees, Misiorowski, Madden
Angels outfielder Jose Siri robbed a grand slam on Sunday against the Rays, reaching over the short wall in left to bring back a would-be homer from Taylor Walls. In the process of saving four runs, Siri also preserved the lunch spread (video via MLB).
1. Yankees’ wild third inning
The Yankees racked up 13 runs against the Athletics on Sunday, all of which came in the third inning. The output was tied for the second-most runs in a single inning in franchise history, behind only Babe Ruth’s 1920 squad that put up 14 in an inning against the Senators (h/t Theo DeRosa of MLB.com). The list of superlatives goes on, but the most surprising stat might be what happened outside of the big inning. The Yankees went hitless in every other frame besides the third. As DeRosa noted, the Yankees are the first team to score 13 times while being held without a hit or run in the rest of the innings.
2. Misiorowski finally allows a double
Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski wrapped up a stellar May with seven scoreless innings against the Astros yesterday. He permitted just one earned run in 38 1/3 innings last month. Heading into the matchup in Houston, Misiorowski had gone six starts without allowing an extra-base hit. He was the first pitcher since 1900 to have at least 45 strikeouts and not give up more than a single over a stretch of six games (h/t Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). The run came to an end in the fourth inning on Sunday, as third baseman Isaac Paredes pulled a slider to left field for a double. Misiorowski quickly got a groundout and a flyout to avoid any damage.
3. Madden expected back Monday
The Tigers are activating right-hander Ty Madden today, per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. He’s expected to cover the bulk of the innings against the Rays, either as a traditional starter or following an opener. Madden has been on the IL since mid-May with a forearm contusion. He was hit in the arm by a 108 mph line drive off the bat of Blue Jays outfielder Yohendrick Pinango. The righty had only recently returned from a shoulder strain. Madden tossed five scoreless innings in his first outing, then followed it up with six frames of one-run ball. He’s operated as a bulk reliever in all three appearances this year.
Photo courtesy of D. Ross Cameron, Imagn Images
White Sox Re-Acquire Peyton Pallette From Guardians
TODAY: Pallette cleared waivers and was offered back to the White Sox, with MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins writing that Chicago has accepted the right-hander back into the fold. The Sox have assigned Pallette to Triple-A Charlotte.
MAY 24: 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.
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Tommy Kahnle To Test Free Agency If Not Promoted By Red Sox
With a June 1 opt-out date looming, veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle is expected to look for a new team if he isn’t added to Boston’s roster, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. This is the second time Boston has faced a roster decision with the right-hander, who triggered an upward mobility clause on May 1, but ultimately remained in the minors with the organization.
Kahnle has been excellent at Triple-A this year. The 36-year-old has allowed just three earned runs across 19 1/3 innings. He’s ripped off 14 consecutive scoreless outings. Kahnle is striking out more than a batter per inning with Worcester, though he does have a 13.3% walk rate.
No club jumped in to add Kahnle at the end of April, but maybe he’ll garner more interest after posting 11 zeroes in May. Boston could face a tougher choice this time. “I know there are dates coming up,” interim manager Chad Tracy said, relayed by Cotillo. “Our front office, they’re always aware of that. We’re well-aware of who he is, what he’s done and his performance down there.”
Kahnle has pitched for five teams in his 11-year MLB career. The righty spent last season in the Tigers’ bullpen. He posted a 4.43 ERA across 66 appearances. With left-hander Alex Lange getting hurt in the spring and right-hander Jason Foley falling short of a roster spot, Kahnle began the year as Detroit’s primary closer. He picked up nine saves, easily a career-high mark. Will Vest eventually emerged as manager A.J. Hinch’s preferred choice in the ninth inning.
An elite changeup has been Kahnle’s primary pitch in recent years. The offering posted a +4 Run Value this past season. Kahnle’s changeup had the fifth-highest Run Value in the league in 2024. The veteran is throwing the pitch at a 63.4% clip with the WooSox, which is actually a bit low for him. Kahnle has thrown the changeup at least 72% of the time in four straight years. He’s sitting 93 mph on the four-seamer, which is down slightly from 2025 (93.5 mph).
As Cotillo notes, lefty Tyler Samaniego and righty Greg Weissert would be potential candidates to head back to the minors if Kahnle is given a roster spot. Samaniego was crushed for four earned runs on six hits as an opener on Friday. Weissert has pitched better in May, but a rough start has his ERA sitting at 4.43. Right-hander Ryan Watson has been generally ineffective (5.35 ERA, 7.02 xERA), but since he’s a Rule 5 pick, Boston would risk losing him if he’s taken off the roster. The Red Sox relievers have pitched well as a unit. The bullpen ranks fifth in xFIP and seventh in SIERA.
Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images
Royals Notes: Jensen, Ragans, Altavilla, Avila, Mears
Royals catcher Carter Jensen was shifted to the leadoff spot on Saturday with the club searching for offensive production. The young backstop came through with an RBI single and a two-run homer. Kansas City scored six runs in the contest after having put up a total of five runs in four games this week.
“I like the idea of hitting leadoff,” Jensen said before the game, relayed by Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star. “I think I can fill the role great. I think it’s just putting my approach to my plan and just going out there and competing.”
Jensen has mostly hit fifth this season. Of his 167 at-bats, 125 have come in the No. 5 spot. He’d led off just once this year heading into Saturday. Jensen went 1-for-5 with a pair of RBI in that game, a 12-1 Royals’ win. He was atop the lineup for two games in 2025, posting three hits (all doubles) in 11 ABs. One of those matchups was a 20-1 win.
The 22-year-old Jensen hasn’t been able to recapture the form he showed in his MLB debut last year. He was slashing .222/.306/.383 heading into Saturday. The catcher is still walking at a double-digit clip, but his strikeout rate has spiked to 29.0%. Jensen struck out just 17.4% in 2025. He posted a massive 159 wRC+ in 20 games.
Kansas City has scored the second-fewest runs in the league. The team ranks in the bottom five for OPS and wRC+. The leadoff spot itself hasn’t been a major issue, as Maikel Garcia has posted near league-average numbers. Garcia was moved to the No. 3 spot for the past two games, including tonight. Lane Thomas led off on Friday.
The Royals have dropped 15 of their last 18 games. The slide has the club sitting 11 games behind the first-place Guardians in the AL Central. Despite the challenges, coaching changes are not on the horizon, per general manager J.J. Picollo. “I have a lot of confidence in our staff,” Picollo told reporters, including Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “You can go back and look at all the historical research on changing coaching staffs. There’s not a lot of strong data on changing coaching staffs mid-season leading to what you need to do.”
Here’s more from the Royals…
- Left-hander Cole Ragans has resumed his rehab assignment, according to his MLB player page. The ace was shut down from throwing earlier this week after feeling stiffness in his elbow. Ragans has been on the injured list with a left elbow impingement since early May. It’s unclear when exactly he’ll make his next Triple-A appearance. Ragans last pitched on May 23.
- Kansas City added veteran reliever Dan Altavilla on a minor league deal, the club announced. The right-hander was released by Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate on Monday. The 33-year-old Altavilla has spent parts of eight MLB seasons with four teams. That includes a brief stint with the Royals in 2024, when he was knocked around for six earned runs over 3 2/3 innings. Altavilla posted a strong 2.48 ERA in 28 appearances with the White Sox last year.
- Right-hander Luinder Avila is joining the rotation, manager Matt Quatraro told reporters, including Rogers. His next start will likely come on Monday against the Reds. Avila made a start in his first big-league appearance this year, but has since operated out of the bullpen. The righty has covered three innings in back-to-back outings. He got up to 67 pitches on Tuesday against the Yankees.
- Reliever Nick Mears was placed on the IL on Friday, the team announced. The right-hander will miss time with a right shoulder impingement. Right-hander Eric Cerantola was recalled to take his spot. Mears came to the Royals in the offseason, along with outfielder Isaac Collins, in a trade that sent lefty Angel Zerpa to the Brewers. The righty permitted runs in just two of his first 16 appearances with the club. He’s since allowed eight earned runs over his last five outings.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Dieb, Imagn Images
Brewers Move Quinn Priester To Arizona Complex League
With his rehab assignment going poorly, the Brewers are sending right-hander Quinn Priester to the lowest level of the minor leagues. The injured starter will head to the team’s complex in Arizona to continue his recovery, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Priester is working his way back from symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome. He opened the regular season on the injured list.
Priester failed to get out of the first inning in his Wednesday start at Triple-A. He allowed three earned runs on two hits and three walks. Priester has permitted 13 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings with Nashville this month. He also made an appearance with High-A Wisconsin, where he was pounded for seven earned runs while getting just four outs. Priester has a 21.60 ERA in six minor league starts.
“We just felt like he’s not getting anywhere in Triple-A right now,” manager Pat Murphy said, relayed by McCalvy. “He’s spinning his wheels a little bit, trying to find himself.”
Priester was diagnosed with a nerve issue in the spring. He’s avoided surgery up to this point. The decision to move Priester from Triple-A to Rookie ball will be the second time his rehab has had to be adjusted. His first rehab attempt was shuttered after three appearances. Priester hit two batters and walked eight more across five innings at Triple-A, prompting the pause. The control has not improved since he restarted his recovery. Priester has nine walks and a hit batter over his last three outings.
Milwaukee took a flyer on Priester last season, and it paid off handsomely. The righty had posted uninspiring results in his first two years as a big leaguer. The Brewers grabbed him in a minor trade with the Red Sox early in the 2025 campaign. He became a staple of the rotation with his new team. Priester tossed 157 1/3 innings with a 3.32 ERA. The righty leaned on a new cutter to go with his sinker and slider. The arsenal tweak had him looking like a mid-rotation arm moving forward.
With the shift to the Complex League, the club is looking to get Priester into a low-pressure environment in the hopes of helping him return to form. “We were wishful thinking when we thought he could go to Triple-A and just get it back,” Murphy said. The skipper added that building up Priester could take another month.
The Brewers have been without right-hander Brandon Woodruff since the end of April. Righty Logan Henderson went on the IL last week with a back injury. Milwaukee has covered the absences in the rotation with a mix that has included Chad Patrick, Brandon Sproat, and Coleman Crow. Patrick, in particular, has been effective, recording a 2.60 ERA over 45 innings.
Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images
Phillies Designate Zach Pop For Assignment
The Phillies reinstated right-hander Zach Pop from the 15-day injured list and designated him for assignment, the team announced. The club needed a 40-man spot for righty Max Lazar, who was activated from the 60-day IL and optioned to Triple-A.
Pop hit the IL in mid-April with a right calf strain. He began a rehab assignment earlier this month. The veteran righty opened the season in the Phillies’ bullpen. He allowed three earned runs across seven appearances. Pop made his first MLB start in his final outing before the leg injury. He tossed two innings against the Diamondbacks as an opener ahead of Andrew Painter.
The 29-year-old Pop has pitched in parts of six MLB seasons with five different clubs. He joined the Phillies in December. Pop struggled mightily in five outings last year, split between the Mariners and Mets. He was crushed for 11 earned runs over 6 2/3 frames. The righty performed much better this spring, posting a 3.86 ERA across nine appearances during exhibition play.
Lazar opened the season on the injured list with a left oblique strain. He began a rehab assignment on the final day of April, which meant his 30-day rehab clock was expiring. Lazar has made 11 appearances in the minors this year. The 26-year-old has pitched well, tossing 13 1/3 innings with a 2.70 ERA.
Philadelphia added Lazar as a minor league free agent heading into the 2024 season. He debuted in the big leagues that year, pitching in 11 games with the Phillies. Lazar was a semi-regular member of the bullpen last season. He operated mostly in lower-leverage situations. The righty recorded an ERA up near 5.00, supported by a 4.58 xFIP and a 4.57 SIERA. He did pick up his first career MLB save in an 11-inning win against the A’s.
Lazar is in his second minor league option year. He’s unlikely to make a significant impact with the big-league club this season. The Phillies did need a temporary long man in the bullpen with Aaron Nola heading to the paternity list, but it was righty Nolan Hoffman who got the call.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images
Reds Designate Kyle Nicolas For Assignment, Select Lyon Richardson
The Reds are shuffling the bullpen. Right-hander Pierce Johnson is headed to the injured list with right elbow inflammation, the club announced. Righty Lyon Richardson is returning to the big-league club to take his spot. To open up room on the 40-man for Richardson, Cincinnati designated right-hander Kyle Nicolas for assignment.
Nicolas joined the organization via trade from the Pirates in March. Outfielder Tyler Callihan went to Pittsburgh in the deal. Nicolas didn’t break camp with the club, but made his team debut in early April. He was knocked around for seven earned runs over seven appearances. The righty piled up 13 walks over 7 1/3 frames.
The 27-year-old Nicolas struggled in his first outing with the Reds. He ceded three earned runs in mop-up duty and had to be relieved by a position player. Nicolas settled in for four scoreless appearances after the ugly debut. He was tagged for four earned runs in a late April outing against the Rays and was optioned back to Triple-A shortly after.
Throwing strikes has been the main issue for Nicolas. He’s pitched in parts of four seasons in the majors and has yet to post a sub-10% walk rate. The righty has an underwhelming 59.5% strike rate across 93 MLB outings. Nicolas posted a career-worst 38.4% zone rate in his brief stint with the Reds.
After two short stretches with the Reds in 2023 and 2024, Richardson was a regular in the bullpen last season. He pitched to a 4.54 ERA across 37 appearances. The Reds used Richardson in a variety of roles, including occasional late-inning appearances. He picked up three holds, but also covered more than an inning on 14 occasions.
Richardson came up as a starter, and his first four games with the Reds were starts. He struggled to an 8.64 ERA as a rookie in 2023. Richardson began transitioning to a relief role in 2024. He pitched out of the bullpen six times at Triple-A. His lone appearance with the Reds that season came as a reliever. Richardson has been almost exclusively used out of the bullpen since then.
Cincinnati added Johnson on a one-year, $6.5MM deal in January. He delivered a 3.27 ERA across 24 appearances. Johnson picked up four holds and a save. The 35-year-old was removed during an outing against the Mets on Tuesday. He allowed a hit and recorded two outs before getting pulled.
Johnson is the latest high-leverage reliever to go down for the Reds. The club lost closer Emilio Pagan to a significant hamstring strain in early May. He’s about three weeks into his initial four-to-eight week recovery timeline. Right-hander Graham Ashcraft went to the 60-day IL with a UCL sprain on Friday. He hasn’t been ruled out for the season, but he’ll be sidelined for at least a couple of months.
Photo courtesy of Sam Greene of the Enquirer via Imagn Images
The Opener: Jones, Martinez, Bello
Braves left-hander Chris Sale allowed a pair of runs over five innings to earn a win over the Red Sox on Thursday. He’s defeated Boston in all three starts since getting traded before the 2024 season. Sale has a 1.50 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 18 innings against his former club.
1. Jones makes his return
Pirates right-hander Jared Jones is expected to make his season debut on Friday against the Twins. The hard-throwing righty is making his way back from UCL surgery. He missed the entire 2025 season. Jones pitched well as a rookie in 2024, delivering a sub-4.00 SIERA with more than a strikeout per inning across 22 starts. The recent top prospect was forming a strong 1-2 punch with Paul Skenes before going down with the elbow issue. Jones has excelled in five rehab starts, racking up 24 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings with a 2.89 ERA. He’ll likely replace Carmen Mlodzinski in the rotation.
2. Martinez chasing ERA crown
Rays right-hander Nick Martinez faces the Angels tonight with a chance to move into the top spot on the ERA leaderboard. He’s been stuck behind Cam Schlittler, who tossed six innings of one-run ball last time out to keep his mark at 1.50. Martinez quieted Schlitter’s Yankees in his last outing, working around nine hits to post a quality start. He has an ERA of 1.51 through 10 appearances. Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez overtook both Martinez and Schlittler on Wednesday with yet another scoreless start. A 4.25 xERA and a 4.49 SIERA suggest Martinez’s run won’t last, though he draws an Angels offense that ranks 28th in wRC+ against righties in May.
3. Bello behind an opener
Red Sox right-hander Brayan Bello will operate as a bulk reliever on Friday. Lefty Tyler Samaniego will draw the start and cover an inning or two. It’ll be Bello’s fourth appearance out of the bullpen. His results have been wildly different as a traditional starter compared to a bulk reliever this year. The righty has a 9.68 ERA in 30 2/3 innings as a starter. Coming out of the bullpen, he’s put up a 0.98 ERA over 18 1/3 frames. With Samaniego on the mound in the first inning, Bello will duck lefties Travis Bazzana and Chase DeLauter the first time through the order. He’ll also avoid switch-hitter Jose Ramirez.
Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images