The Opener: White Sox, NL West, Pearson
Mariners top prospect Colt Emerson debuted on Sunday night against the Padres. A recurrence of Brendan Donovan‘s groin injury opened up a job for the 20-year-old. He’s expected to have a clear path to everyday playing time moving forward. “This period will give him some runway,” GM Justin Hollander said (h/t Daniel Kramer of MLB.com). “This is not a 15-at-bat or a 20-at-bat tryout to see if he’s capable of taking the job and running it with it for the rest of the year.”
1. White Sox take Crosstown Classic series
With a wild walk-off win on Sunday, the White Sox took two of three games against the Cubs over the weekend. Tristan Peters broke a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a three-run blast, his first career home run. Michael Conforto matched it with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning. After holding the Cubs to a run in the 10th inning, Edgar Quero went deep to win it. The most recent victory pushed the club two games over .500 for the first time since 2022 (h/t Bob Nightengale of USA Today). The White Sox are suddenly two games out of first place in the AL Central.
2. NL West showdown in San Diego
The Padres cruised past Emerson’s Mariners last night, sweeping the Vedder Series and moving within a half game of the division-leading Dodgers. The in-state rivals will begin a three-game set on Monday night. Los Angeles recently shook off a four-game losing streak, recovering to secure a split in a series against the Giants before sweeping the Angels over the weekend. The aces will be on the mound for both squads, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto facing off against Michael King.
3. Pearson nearing Astros debut
The Astros inked Nate Pearson to a big-league deal this offseason with the intention of stretching him out as a rotation option. The former Blue Jays top prospect went down with elbow soreness in the spring and opened the year on the injured list. Houston has now nixed the plan to make Pearson a starter. The hard-throwing righty has worked in short stints during his rehab at Triple-A. Pearson is expected to join the team for a series in Minnesota beginning on Monday, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. He’ll look to boost a bullpen that ranks dead last in ERA.
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Mariners Promote Colt Emerson, Place Brendan Donovan On IL
The Mariners are adding top prospect Colt Emerson to the big-league squad, first reported by Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. The 20-year-old shortstop is among the highest-ranked young players in the sport. The team has officially announced the promotion. Brendan Donovan was placed on the 10-day IL with a groin strain as the corresponding move.
The Mariners released an updated lineup for Sunday Night Baseball against the Padres. Emerson is now batting ninth and playing third base instead of Leo Rivas. He’ll be the youngest Mariner to make his debut since 19-year-old Félix Hernández in 2005, according to the team.
Emerson fell short of an MLB gig out of Spring Training, despite a 111 wRC+ in 18 games. The 20-year-old has slashed .255/.347/.469 through 38 games at Triple-A this season. He’s popped seven home runs to go with 10 stolen bases.
Seattle inked Emerson to an eight-year, $95MM extension in late March. The price tag is a record figure for a player who has yet to appear in the majors. MLB Pipeline has Emerson ranked sixth among all prospects. FanGraphs has the infielder just outside the top 10.
The Mariners didn’t give Emerson an opportunity in the majors when shortstop J.P. Crawford was working through a shoulder injury early in the year. It would seem another injury to an infielder has opened the door for the youngster. Donovan had been out of the lineup since Friday. He’s been the club’s everyday third baseman when healthy. Emerson has played mostly shortstop with Tacoma, but he’s made five starts at the hot corner this season.
Donovan has dealt with groin issues since the offseason. He underwent sports hernia surgery before the 2026 campaign got underway. The infielder hit the IL in late April with a groin strain. After just seven games, Donovan is back on the injured list with the same injury. With Emerson taking over at third base, the versatile Donovan will move around to multiple spots when healthy, per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. There’s no timetable for his return, but the club hopes he can get back to full strength in a few weeks, per Divish.
Seattle took Emerson with the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 draft. He moved quickly through the lower levels of the minors. Emerson posted an impressive 129 wRC+ across three levels last year, capped off by a massive .364/.444/.727 line in a brief sample at Triple-A. He hasn’t been as dominant so far this season, particularly in terms of contact. Emerson has a career-high 27.2% strikeout rate over 169 plate appearances in the minors this year. The power and speed have been among the best he’s shown, though. Emerson’s 16 homers and 14 steals in 2025 were both career highs. He would’ve blown past those marks if he had stayed with Tacoma much longer.
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Clay Holmes Likely To Avoid Surgery, Could Return In August
The Mets will be missing right-hander Clay Holmes for a significant chunk of the season, but he could return sometime after the All-Star break. The veteran starter fractured his right fibula on Friday against the Yankees. Holmes told reporters, including Chelsea Janes of SNY, that surgery hasn’t been ruled out, but doesn’t appear to be necessary.
Manager Carlos Mendoza was equally optimistic about the outlook for Holmes. “Yes, definitely we’ll see him this season,” Mendoza said, relayed by ESPN. The skipper added that Holmes is expected to need six to eight weeks to heal, plus an additional ramp-up period similar to Spring Training, which would be another month and a half or so. That schedule would get Holmes back into the Mets’ rotation sometime in August.
Holmes was struck by a 111 mph line drive off the bat of outfielder Spencer Jones in the fourth inning of the first game in the Subway Series. He somehow stayed in, wiggling out of a bases-loaded jam later in the frame. Holmes was removed after walking Jazz Chisholm Jr. with one out in the fifth inning.
The Holmes injury was the latest in a laundry list of health concerns for the Mets. The pitching staff is already missing right-hander Kodai Senga and reliever A.J. Minter. On the hitting side, shortstop Francisco Lindor, outfielder Luis Robert Jr., and first baseman Jorge Polanco remain out. Catcher Francisco Alvarez tore the meniscus in his right knee earlier this week.
The Mets dropped the first game against the Yankees, but rallied to win the next two, including a wild walk-off win on Sunday. Outfielder Tyrone Taylor blasted a two-out, three-run home run off closer David Bednar to send the game into extra innings. Rookie Carson Benge finished off the comeback by driving in the game-winning run in the 10th inning. The Mets went 5-1 this week, improving their record to 20-26. It’s been exactly a month since they’ve been this close to .500.
New York hasn’t come up with a Holmes replacement yet. The corresponding move when the righty hit the IL was the promotion of reliever Joey Gerber. Current bullpen pieces Tobias Myers and Sean Manaea are candidates to step into the rotation. Manaea has continued to struggle after spiraling down the stretch in 2025, but Myers has been solid. The club’s competitiveness might determine the long-term solution. If the Mets can move closer to contention, the front office might consider a trade to supplement the rotation while Holmes is recovering. If the team can’t get back into the Wild Card mix, the internal options will have to do.
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Corey Seager To Visit Back Specialist
The Rangers are sending Corey Seager to see the club’s back specialist, per Jeff Wilson of DLLS Sports. The shortstop was sidelined for all three games of a weekend series against the Astros. The team is still waiting on the results of an MRI.
Seager hasn’t suited up since Wednesday. He’d appeared in 42 of the Rangers’ 43 games before the back issue popped up. The 32-year-old is scuffling through his worst offensive campaign to date. He’s currently stuck in a 0-for-27 slump. Seager is slashing .179/.286/.353 across 182 plate appearances. His 80 wRC+ is his worst mark as a big leaguer by a significant margin.
It’s unclear how long Seager’s been dealing with the injury. His Statcast metrics certainly haven’t aligned with his lofty standards. Seager has a 45.4% hard-hit rate this year, which is still an above-average mark, but a couple of ticks below his career norm. It’s also well behind his recent work with Texas. Seager has posted a hard-hit rate above 50% in each of the past three campaigns. His barrel rate has remained steady this year, but his average exit velocity has slipped by nearly 2 mph compared to 2025.
Seager is also struggling to make contact like never before. He has a career-high 27.5% strikeout rate. It’s the first time he’s been above 20% since 2017 with the Dodgers. Seager’s 16.2% swinging-strike rate is easily a career worst. His 68.0% contact rate is the 12th-lowest mark among qualified hitters.
Texas signed Seager to a massive 10-year, $325MM deal heading into the 2022 season. He’s been incredibly productive with the club, including a second-place MVP finish in 2023. He also earned World Series MVP honors that year. Seager has a wRC+ of 138 or better in each of the past three campaigns.
Similar to his time in L.A., injuries remain the drawback with Seager. After playing in 151 games in 2022, he’s missed time with thumb, sports hernia, and hamstring issues the past few years. An appendectomy also cost Seager most of September last season. While it’s hard to hold that last one against him, the soft tissue injuries have been prevalent.
Ezequiel Duran has stepped in at shortstop this year with Seager out. The utilityman is off to a solid start at the plate. Duran is slashing .270/.339/.441 with three home runs and four steals. The versatile veteran has spent time at every infield spot except first base, plus both corner outfield positions. Duran has been a decent defender up the middle in his career. He’s posted +5 Outs Above Average across 525 2/3 innings at shortstop. Duran has -2 Defensive Runs Saved at the position, which would still be passable, at least temporarily.
A Seager injury would normally lead to a Sebastian Walcott mention, but the top prospect is set to miss most of the year after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his elbow. Cameron Cauley is a borderline top 10 prospect in the organization. He’s bounced around the diamond this year at Triple-A, with at least seven starts at four different positions, including shortstop. While the glove might be viable, Cauley has scuffled to an 82 wRC+ with Round Rock.
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Twins’ John Brebbia Expected To Trigger Opt-Out Clause
Right-hander John Brebbia is exercising the opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Twins, reports Darren Wolfson of KSTP. Minnesota has until Wednesday to add Brebbia to the big-league club. If the team declines, the veteran reliever will head to free agency. Brebbia joins Triple-A St. Paul teammate Matt Bowman in triggering an opt-out on Sunday.
Brebbia was in camp with the Rockies, but was cut shortly before Opening Day. He latched on with the Twins a couple of days into the regular season. The 35-year-old righty split the 2025 campaign between the Tigers and Braves. He posted an identical 7.71 ERA with both teams. The well-traveled Brebbia has pitched for five MLB squads in his eight-year career.
While Bowman is pitching well with the Saints, Brebbia is off to a difficult start. He’s posted a 6.20 ERA across 20 1/3 innings this season. The reliever has a solid 28.3% strikeout rate, but a double-digit walk rate. Free passes haven’t typically been an issue for Brebbia, though those numbers have ticked up in recent years.
The Twins don’t have any available slots on the 40-man roster, which makes a Brebbia promotion tricky. There’s a chance he lands back with the club on a new minor league deal if Minnesota declines to call him up.
Brebbia posted a few respectable seasons in the Cardinals’ bullpen after debuting in 2017. He then signed with the Giants and delivered more of the same. The veteran tested free agency at the end of 2023. Brebbia earned a decent $5.5MM commitment from the White Sox heading into 2024, but was released in August. He bounced to the Braves, then the Tigers, and finally back to Atlanta to finish up last season.
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Cubs Claim Christian Roa
The Cubs have claimed right-hander Christian Roa, the Orioles announced. Baltimore designated Roa for assignment on Friday after acquiring fellow righty Eduarniel Núñez in a trade with the Athletics. MLBTR has learned that left-hander Riley Martin was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot for Roa. Martin hit the IL in late April with a flexor strain that was expected to cost him about eight weeks.
The 27-year-old Roa is no stranger to the waiver wire. He broke camp with the Astros, but was sent down after the first series of the season. Roa was designated for assignment after a second brief stint with the club in April. It set off a series of transactions that saw him bounce to multiple organizations. Roa was claimed, then DFAed by the Twins and Orioles in the span of a few weeks. He’s now landed in Chicago.
Roa permitted five earned runs over 8 2/3 innings with Houston. He had more walks (7) than strikeouts (6) across seven appearances. Roa’s time as an Astro represents his longest MLB look so far. He tossed three innings for the Marlins in 2025, his only other stretch in the big leagues.
Cincinnati took Roa in the second round of the 2020 draft. The righty put up solid numbers in the minors, but also struggled with walks, especially at the higher levels of the minors. Roa delivered a 31.0% strikeout rate across Double-A and Triple-A in 2023. Those swing-and-miss numbers, particularly for a pitcher who was already 24 years old, could’ve led to a call-up, except they came with an ugly 16.6% walk rate. Roa worked mostly as a reliever for the first time in 2024. He scuffled to a 5.55 ERA with Louisville and was DFAed at the end of the season.
Miami took a shot on Roa off the waiver wire. He was excellent as a full-time reliever with Jacksonville, posting a 2.83 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning in 50 appearances. Roa trimmed the free passes to 11.4%, which was an improvement. He debuted with the Marlins in September. Roa walked three but only permitted one hit. He tested free agency at the end of the year, landing with Houston on a minor league deal.
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Jose Altuve Placed On IL With Oblique Strain
Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is headed to the injured list with a Grade 2 oblique strain, the team announced. The veteran infielder homered off Jacob deGrom on Saturday, but was removed from the game in the ninth inning. The injury kept him out of the lineup on Sunday. The club has yet to announce a corresponding move.
The 36-year-old Altuve has been perfectly league average (100 wRC+) through 42 games. He got off to a torrid start, boasting an OPS over 1.000 after a dozen games, but has cooled from there. Altuve’s long ball yesterday snapped a 21-game drought without a home run. He’s slugged just .380 through 185 plate appearances.
Altuve has been remarkably healthy during his 16-year career. The veteran has topped 600 plate appearances in every season since the shortened 2020 campaign, outside of 2023. He fell short that year primarily because of a broken thumb suffered after being hit by a pitch in the World Baseball Classic.
After a foray into the outfield last year, Altuve has slotted back in as the club’s everyday second baseman. He’s continued a downward trend as a defender this year. Altuve has recorded -5 Defensive Runs Saved in 338 1/3 innings at the position. He ranks in the 11th percentile for Outs Above Average.
Houston came into the season with a glut of infielders, but injuries have quickly whittled down the depth. Jeremy Pena has been sidelined since mid-April with a hamstring strain. He fractured a finger in a warm-up game for the WBC but was able to heal up in time to be on the Opening Day roster. The club lost Carlos Correa for the season after he suffered an ankle injury in early May.
Pena embarked on a rehab assignment earlier this week and could be nearing a comeback. The shortstop was in the clubhouse on Sunday and will travel with the team for a series in Minnesota, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. His return will help offset the loss of Altuve in the infield.
Braden Shewmake and Nick Allen have seen time at shortstop with Pena and Correa out. Both could be options at the keystone, along with Shay Whitcomb. Isaac Paredes has played a bit of second base this season, but he’s locked in at the hot corner with Correa gone. Brice Matthews would be a candidate to fill in for Altuve, particularly if Jake Meyers is back with the club.
Meyers is recovering from an oblique injury of his own. He could return on Monday, per McTaggart. Houston has thrown a slew of players in center field with Meyers sidelined. Matthews has earned the most plate appearances at the position, but Taylor Trammell, Joey Loperfido, Daniel Johnson, and Zach Cole have also seen time there. Getting Meyers’ glove back in center field would be a nice upgrade. Sliding Matthews to second base would allow for a longer look at the former first-round pick.
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The Opener: Subway Series, Suarez, Lee
With Shohei Ohtani getting the day off, catcher Will Smith led off for the first time in his career. The move paid off for the Dodgers. Smith took Landen Roupp deep in his first at-bat. Ohtani is expected to return to the lineup on Friday, which will likely bump Smith back to the middle of the order.
1. Aces battle in New York
The first Subway Series of the season begins on Friday, with the Yankees heading to Citi Field. It’s a matchup of unexpected top starters for each side. Cam Schlittler will get the ball for the Yankees. He’s built on his 2025 postseason success to become a legitimate AL Cy Young contender. Clay Holmes will oppose Schlittler. The veteran slipped out of the rotation down the stretch last year, but has bounced back in a big way this season. Holmes has allowed two earned runs or fewer in all eight starts. He’s been one of the most effective members of a rotation that includes Nolan McLean and Freddy Peralta.
2. Suarez cruises in revenge game
Red Sox lefty Ranger Suarez faced his former club for the first time on Thursday. He delivered 5 1/3 scoreless frames against the Phillies, striking out eight. Suarez was coming off a minor hamstring injury and was pulled after 76 pitches. “To be honest, it was like a regular game,” Suarez told reporters through an interpreter, including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “Obviously, I know they were my old teammates, but I wanted to just get deep in the game.” Philadelphia signed Suarez as an international free agent in 2012. He’d spent his entire pro career with the organization until this season. Boston handed Suarez a five-year, $130MM deal this offseason.
3. Lee makes history against the Dodgers
Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee sliced a line drive down the left field line in the fifth inning against the Dodgers last night. The ball skipped off the side wall and past Teoscar Hernandez. Lee zoomed around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. It was the first inside-the-parker for a Giant at Dodger Stadium, according to multiple reports, including from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. It was also Lee’s first at any level, even Little League, he told reporters. The play momentarily tied the game, but L.A. would score three times in the sixth inning. Hernandez was at the center of the rally following his defensive miscue.
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The Opener: Walk-Offs, Soto, Garrett
Happy birthday, Mickey Moniak. The outfielder celebrated turning 28 by finishing a single short of the cycle. Per the Rockies, Moniak is the first player since at least 1898 to post a stat line that included nine total bases, three extra-base hits, a triple, a home run, and 5 RBI.
1. Walk-off Wednesday
Yesterday’s action featured several exciting finishes, including four walk-off wins. Mets rookie Carson Benge knocked in the winning run in the 10th inning against the Tigers. The Rangers gave up three runs in the top of the ninth, then scored three runs in the bottom of the frame to beat the Diamondbacks. The Astros also fumbled a ninth-inning lead, only to win it in extras on a Zach Cole single. The biggest clutch hit of the evening was Daulton Varsho‘s game-winning grand slam against the Rays. The Blue Jays gave up two runs in the top of the 10th, but loaded the bases against reliever Aaron Brooks. Varsho sent the fans home happy with a drive to left field that landed in Toronto’s bullpen.
2. Soto leaves with ankle injury
Mets megastar Juan Soto left midway through the game against Detroit with an ankle injury. The outfielder initially remained in the contest after fouling a ball off his foot, but was replaced by MJ Melendez in the seventh inning. Soto seems to have avoided serious injury. He’s currently day-to-day and could suit up for the series finale on Thursday. “I was concerned as soon as he got hit, because it got him pretty good there,” manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “We went out there, and you could tell that he was in pain. That second at-bat didn’t look right.” The Mets can ill-afford to lose another big-name player, with Francisco Lindor and Luis Robert Jr. already sidelined.
3. Garrett returning against Twins
Marlins left-hander Braxton Garrett is expected to start on Thursday against Minnesota. He’s been working his way back from UCL surgery. Garrett has a crisp 2.30 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning across six starts at Triple-A. He’ll be stepping in for lefty Robby Snelling, who hit the IL yesterday with a UCL sprain. It’s a disappointing outcome for the top prospect, who made just one big-league start before going down with the injury. Snelling was filling the rotation spot of Chris Paddack. Garrett will now have the opportunity to take over that role.
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The Opener: Miller, Ohtani, Haase
Since giving up five earned runs on Opening Day, Paul Skenes has allowed six earned runs over eight starts. The reigning ERA champ has his mark back under 2.00 through 58 innings. Skenes had three career starts of 8+ innings heading into this season. He’s now done it in back-to-back outings.
1. Miller making his return
Mariners right-hander Bryce Miller is slated to start on Wednesday against the Astros. Miller went down with an oblique strain in Spring Training. His absence has allowed Emerson Hancock to emerge as one of the more surprising breakouts of 2026. Miller’s return will force an adjustment to Seattle’s rotation. The initial plan is to roll with a six-man staff. The Mariners don’t have an off-day until May 21, so expanding the rotation will give the other starters extra rest during a tough stretch. From there, the club is considering piggybacking Miller with Luis Castillo, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. The veteran has scuffled to a 6.57 ERA through eight starts.
2. Ohtani won’t hit for two days
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani won’t be in the hitting lineup when he pitches tonight against the Giants. He will also take a seat on Thursday. Manager Dave Roberts is sticking with the plan of Ohtani getting two days off, even after he snapped an 11-game home run drought on Tuesday. “I think that might’ve been something where, you know you get a couple days off of hitting and it might have freed him up,” Roberts told reporters, including Katie Woo of The Athletic. “You just never know. To go back on a pact, a decision that we came upon or I came upon, I don’t like that.” Ohtani entered Tuesday’s matchup stuck in a 4-for-38 rut over his last 10 games.
3. Haase homers twice
Giants catcher Eric Haase took Yoshinobu Yamamoto deep in consecutive at-bats on Tuesday. His second homer was back-to-back with Harrison Bader and gave the Giants a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Haase is part of a catching trio that includes youngsters Jesus Rodriguez and Daniel Susac. He joined the roster when Susac went down with an injury, and he’ll have a chance to stick around as a veteran presence now that Patrick Bailey is in Cleveland. Haase earned a Major League comp from manager Tony Vitello after the game. “I get Jake Taylor vibes from Haase, and those two (young) guys are sponges as far as what they’re looking to learn from their teammates and (nobody’s better to learn from) than the guy who’s actually doing what you’re doing,” Vitello told reporters, including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
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