Mets Select Vidal Brujan, Designate Eric Wagaman For Assignment
The Mets are filling their void at shortstop with Vidal Brujan, who had his contract selected ahead of Sunday’s game against the Angels. The club announced first baseman Eric Wagaman has been designated for assignment to clear a 40-man spot for Brujan. Infielder Ronny Mauricio was placed on the 10-day IL with a fractured thumb, opening up room on the big-league club.
Brujan bounced around this offseason, landing with the Mets after getting DFAed by the Twins and then the Braves. He met the same fate with New York after falling short of an Opening Day roster spot, but snuck through waivers this time. The 28-year-old had a 62 wRC+ in 24 games at Triple-A Syracuse.
It’s been several years, but Brujan was once a top prospect in the Rays’ system. He debuted with Tampa Bay in 2021 and spent parts of three seasons with the club. Brujan failed to provide much more than defensive versatility and a bit of speed during his time as a Ray. He was dealt to the Marlins in a small trade in November 2023. Miami gave the infielder his longest look to date in the majors. Brujan slashed .222/.303/.319 in a career-high 278 plate appearances in 2024.
Brujan has major league experience at all four infield positions and all three outfield spots. He’s even made four appearances on the mound. The Mets need him in the infield, specifically at shortstop, and he’s been solid there. Brujan has accrued 4 Defensive Runs Saved in 363 1/3 MLB innings at the position. He posted 2 DRS in his short stint with Atlanta last season. The Mets are without star shortstop Francisco Lindor for the foreseeable future as he deals with a calf strain. Mauricio was set to take over, but now he’s injured himself.
It’s a tough blow for Mauricio, who’s also a former prospect of note. The 25-year-old didn’t make the team out of Spring Training, but made a brief cameo in early April. He came back up after the Lindor injury and assumed the everyday shortstop gig. Mauricio launched his first home run of the season on Friday. He had another hit on Saturday, an infield single that loaded the bases in a tie game. Mauricio dove headfirst into the bag on the play, resulting in the thumb injury.
Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, that Mauricio is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. Bo Bichette slid over to shortstop yesterday after Mauricio was removed, with Brett Baty moving to third base. The former Blue Jays shortstop has played 17 innings at the position this season.
The Mets picked up Wagaman off waivers from the Twins earlier this week. He was bumped up to the big-league squad on Thursday after Luis Robert Jr. hit the injured list. Wagaman was sent right back down on Friday, with recently claimed Andy Ibáñez joining the club.
Wagaman briefly debuted with the Angels in 2024. He signed with the Marlins heading into 2025 and stumbled into a full-time gig at first base. Wagaman posted an underwhelming 85 wRC+ in 140 games with Miami. He struck out at a below-average rate and chipped in four steals, but didn’t provide the power typically associated with corner infielders, with just nine home runs and a .128 ISO. Wagaman posted a -1 DRS across 862 1/3 innings at the cold corner. The Mets have five days to trade Wagaman or place him on waivers. Wagaman is still in the first of his three minor league option years, which may encourage another team to submit a claim or work out a trade.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
Cubs Reinstate Daniel Palencia, Designate Yacksel Rios For Assignment
Cubs right-hander Daniel Palencia has been activated from the 15-day IL, the team announced. The closer missed three weeks with a lat strain. Fellow righty Yacksel Rios was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Palencia initially went down with what was labeled a left oblique strain. Additional testing showed a mild lat strain. He’ll return to the big-league club after just one rehab appearance. Palencia tossed 19 pitches for Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
Before the injury, Palencia had fired five scoreless innings as the unquestioned closer for Chicago. The strong relief work had only resulted in one save, though. Since Palencia went down, the Cubs generated six saves, which went to five different relievers. Caleb Thielbar, Ben Brown, Jacob Webb, Corbin Martin, and Hoby Milner all stepped in to close out games.
Brown and Webb recorded two-inning saves in the first two games of this weekend’s series against the Diamondbacks, part of a patchwork approach with Chicago dealing with several reliever injuries. Even with Palencia back, the Cubs still have Hunter Harvey, Riley Martin, Ethan Roberts, and Thielbar on the IL. Porter Hodge was lost for the season.
The extensive bullpen injuries helped Rios return to the big leagues for the first time since 2023. He got the call along with Charlie Barnes after Martin went to the IL and Vince Velasquez was designated for assignment. The 32-year-old recorded five outs in a blowout loss to the Dodgers in his lone appearance. Rios hadn’t pitched in a week.
The Cubs have five days to trade Rios or put him on waivers. If he makes it through the process without another team grabbing him, he could be outrighted to Triple-A Iowa. Rios was outrighted by the A’s after his last big-league stint, so he could forego the minor league assignment and head to free agency. He averaged a career-best 98.2 mph on his fastball during his one game with the Cubs, which might be enough to attract another team.
Rios has pitched in parts of seven MLB seasons with six different organizations. The righty was a semi-regular member of the Phillies bullpen after debuting in 2017. After getting DFAed by Philadelphia in 2019, he bounced to the Pirates, Mariners, Red Sox, and A’s in subsequent seasons. Rios has never averaged even 97 mph with his heater, so the jump in velocity is interesting, especially given his age. It’s a tiny sample, though.
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AL East Notes: Springer, Slaten, Jax, Lux
Blue Jays designated hitter George Springer was forced out of Saturday’s game against the Twins after getting hit by a pitch on his left big toe. It’s the same digit Springer fractured in early April on a foul ball. Yesterday’s matchup in Minnesota was Springer’s fourth game back in the lineup.
Postgame X-rays did not reveal an additional fracture for Springer, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, which is a bit of positive news for an injury-riddled roster. “It’s not any worse than it was,” manager John Schneider told reporters. The skipper added that the 36-year-old Springer was likely getting Sunday’s game off anyway. Assuming that remains the plan, his next chance to play will be Monday in Tampa Bay.
Springer picked up four hits in his first three games since returning. He pushed his batting average above .200 for the first time all year. Toronto’s extensive health issues have skewed toward the pitching side, but the club is also missing a handful of key bats. Catcher Alejandro Kirk broke his thumb in early April. Outfielder Addison Barger is out with two injured ankles. Nathan Lukes hit the IL last week with a strained hamstring.
Here are a handful of additional items from around the division…
- Red Sox right-hander Justin Slaten will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, relays Christopher Smith of MassLive.com, among others. The reliever has been sidelined for nearly a month with an oblique injury. Slaten posted four scoreless appearances to begin the season before the oblique issue popped up. He picked up two holds as one of the late-inning options ahead of closer Aroldis Chapman. With Slaten’s pending return, Boston could be less inclined to add veteran Tommy Kahnle to the roster, if the decision arises. Kahnle triggered his upward mobility clause on Friday.
- Rays right-hander Griffin Jax is stretching out as a starter. He tossed a season-high 2 2/3 innings on Saturday against the Giants. Jax and four relievers held San Francisco to just a run in the 5-1 victory. “This is an organization that’s had some success doing this in the past with Drew obviously, Littell recently, and even Jeffrey Springs. … So I felt this was the right place to do this because of the success this team has had,” Jax told reporters, including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. After poor performance cost him a high-leverage role in the bullpen, Jax has now delivered five scoreless frames as a starter. He built up to 45 pitches yesterday.
- Rays infielder Gavin Lux is still experiencing stiffness in his left ankle, relays Topkin. The veteran picked up the injury in early April while rehabbing a shoulder issue. The ankle kept him out of the Triple-A lineup for a couple of weeks. He returned on April 24. Tampa Bay acquired Lux as part of a three-team trade with the Reds and Angels. The extent of his time in a Rays uniform has been limited to seven Spring Training games so far.
Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images
The Opener: Phillies, Bennett, Opt Outs
April is in the books, and a pair of rookies are atop two league leaderboards. Reds first baseman Sal Stewart paces all hitters with 29 RBI. White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami is tied with Yordan Alvarez and Aaron Judge for the home run lead. This is the first time since RBI became a stat in 1920 that two rookies were leading those categories heading into May (h/t OptaSTATS on X).
1. Philly, Shugart get two walk-off wins
Philadelphia swept a doubleheader against the Giants on Thursday. Justin Crawford beat out an infield single to knock in the winning run in the first game. Alec Bohm delivered a sac fly in extra innings to seal the second game. Right-hander Chase Shugart earned the victory in both contests. He came on to strike out Matt Chapman in the top of the ninth inning of Game 1, making him the pitcher of record when Bryson Stott tied it, then Crawford won it. Shugart wriggled out of a first-and-third, no outs situation in the top of the 10th inning in Game 2. A sac bunt and a deep drive to center field in the bottom of the frame clinched his second win of the day. Interim manager Don Mattingly is off to a 3-0 start.
2. Bennett to get the ball for Boston
Left-hander Jake Bennett was scratched from his Triple-A start on Wednesday so he could be an option for the big-league club this weekend. With Garrett Crochet hitting the IL yesterday, Bennett is a logical choice to start tonight against the Astros. The 25-year-old was acquired in the offseason from the Nationals for fellow prospect Luis Perales. MLB Pipeline ranked Bennett at No. 18 in Washington’s system last season. He ranked sixth with the Red Sox following the trade. Bennett lost all of 2024 due to injury, but returned last year and put together a strong campaign. The lefty posted a 2.27 ERA in 75 1/3 innings spanning three levels. Bennett has allowed just two earned runs over five starts at Triple-A this year.
3. Opt-out day for Article XX(B) players
We’ve reached May 1, the second of three opt-out dates for Article XX(B) free agents. The designation typically applies to players with at least six years of MLB service time who signed minor league deals at least 10 days before the start of the season. The uniform opt-out dates are five days before Opening Day, today, and June 1. Players may also have opt-outs on other dates negotiated into their contracts, but these are the three specific days that apply to the Article XX(B) group. If an opt-out is triggered, teams have two days to add the player to the 40-man roster. If they decline, the player can become a free agent.
Photo courtesy of Kyle Ross, Imagn Images
Foster Griffin, Early Prize Of The International Free Agent Arms
The 2025-26 free agent class featured a lengthy list of pitchers coming over from Asia. They brought varying resumes and asking prices but were typically lumped together during offseason discussions. Left-hander Foster Griffin was one of the less heralded members of the group. Despite the lack of fanfare, he’s off to the best start.
Griffin landed with the Nationals on a modest one-year, $5.5MM agreement. A 2014 first-round draft pick, Griffin pitched briefly with the Royals and Blue Jays in parts of two seasons. After six MLB appearances in 2022, he departed for Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Griffin put together three strong campaigns with the Yomiuri Giants. The lefty delivered a 2.57 ERA with a 25.1% strikeout rate across 54 appearances (53 starts). Griffin missed time in 2025 with a leg injury that limited him to 78 innings. He was excellent when healthy, posting a 1.62 ERA backed by a 2.35 xFIP.
Through six starts, Griffin basically looks like the guy he was during his NPB stint. It’s a 2.67 ERA with decent strikeouts and a low walk rate. The main difference has been home runs, as Griffin has been taken deep five times in 33 2/3 innings. His worst home run per nine innings rate in Japan was a 0.69 mark in 2024. That number is up to 1.34 with Washington. The increase in long balls makes sense given the league context of MLB compared to NPB.
Griffin returned to big-league action with nearly twice as many pitches as he had in his last MLB stint. The lefty has added a sweeper, sinker, and splitter to a repertoire that included a four-seamer, cutter, curveball, and changeup. He’s throwing them all regularly, too. Griffin has used all seven of his pitches at least 7.8% of the time. The cutter leads the way at 30.1%, but no other Griffin offering has more than a 16% usage rate.
The diverse arsenal has helped Griffin limit damage, even with a fastball that averages 91 mph. His 37.9% hard-hit rate and 88.9 mph average exit velocity are squarely league average. Griffin’s 12.6% barrel rate is a concerning mark and could explain the elevated home run numbers. The lefty’s 3.94 xFIP and 3.95 SIERA suggest he won’t be a sub-3.00 ERA pitcher for long, but the ingredients are there for Griffin to stabilize a rotation without many reliable arms.
The Nationals filled out their pitching staff with cheap veterans around Cade Cavalli and Jake Irvin. Zack Littell (one-year, $7MM) and Miles Mikolas (one-year, $2.25MM) joined Griffin as experienced arms capable of eating innings. Littell has allowed a league-leading 13 home runs, four more than any other pitcher. Mikolas was hammered for 15 earned runs in his first two outings. He’s since been moved to a bulk relief role, though he started against the Mets today. Littell and Mikolas might not be long for the rotation, but going 1-for-3 on a group of free agent pitchers that cost less than $15MM combined seems like a win for new president of baseball operations Paul Toboni.
There are some signs to suggest it may not be sustainable. Griffin has allowed a .233 batting average on balls in play and has a 90.3% strand rate, both very fortunate numbers. That’s why some measures like his aforementioned xFIP and SIERA are not as bullish on his work so far this season. It’s possible he’s been walking a tightrope in this small sample and could fall off at any point.
Caveats aside, it’s not as though the other guys who crossed the Pacific are doing any better. Here’s a quick review of the other pitchers to come over from Asia this offseason…
Tatsuya Imai, Houston Astros (three years, $54MM)
Imai was one of the biggest starting pitchers on the market this winter. MLBTR ranked him at No. 7 in the annual Top 50 MLB Free Agents article. The righty earned his first MLB win with 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Athletics, but that outing was sandwiched by two disastrous starts against the Angels and Mariners. Imai was pulled in the first inning in Seattle after four walks and a hit by pitch. He soon went on the IL with right arm fatigue.
Cody Ponce, Toronto Blue Jays (three years, $30MM)
Ponce came in at No. 39 on our top free agents list. He pitched in NPB and the Korea Baseball Organization over the past four seasons. Ponce’s long-awaited MLB return was ruined by a knee injury in his first start. He came up limping after reaching for a ground ball and was eventually diagnosed with a torn ACL. Ponce pitched well in MLB Spring Training, but his 2026 MLB sample will consist of just 2 1/3 innings.
Ryan Weiss, Houston Astros (one year, $2.6MM)
It was a winding road for Weiss to get to the big leagues. The former Diamondbacks farmhand spent time in the independent Atlantic League, Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League, and KBO before winding up with the Astros. Weiss has mostly been used in long relief. He’s recorded a 6.65 ERA across 21 2/3 frames. Weiss has punched out more than a batter per inning, but he has a bloated 15.1% walk rate. He’s also allowed a home run in six of eight appearances. Free baserunners and a penchant for homers is a rough combination.
Anthony Kay, Chicago White Sox (two years, $12MM)
Kay came in with the most MLB experience of the group. He pitched in parts of five seasons with the Blue Jays, Cubs, and Mets. The lefty had some prospect pedigree when he debuted with Toronto in 2019, but the results tended to be underwhelming. Kay has scuffled to a 6.12 ERA in six appearances with the White Sox. He’s shown the improved velocity that put him back on the MLB radar, sitting 95.8 mph with the four-seamer, but the pitch has been pounded for a .368 BA and a .684 SLG.
Drew Anderson, Detroit Tigers (one year, $7MM)
Anderson last pitched in the big leagues with Texas in 2021. He put together a strong MLB Spring Training (0.69 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate) and broke camp as the long man in Detroit’s bullpen. Anderson has struck out opponents at a solid 25.8% clip, but he’s also been done in by walks (12.1%) and home runs (1.80 HR/9). The righty does have a sub-4.00 xFIP and SIERA, so perhaps better days are ahead. He pitched two scoreless innings to get the win against the Braves this afternoon.
Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images
The Opener: Dominguez, Dobbins, Palencia
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz drew a walk against right-hander Michael Wacha in the fourth inning of Wednesday’s game. The free pass pushed his streak to 18 games with a walk. Kurtz is now tied with Barry Bonds for the third-longest run since 1900 (h/t Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). Ted Williams is next on the list at 19 games.
1. Dominguez leaves after HBP
Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez was knocked out of Wednesday’s contest after taking a Nathan Eovaldi cutter to the elbow. He was replaced by Max Schuemann in left field. Dominguez underwent initial X-rays and is now headed back to New York for more imaging, per Erik Boland of Newsday Sports. It’s a tough blow for the former top prospect, who has struggled to gain his footing as a big leaguer. The returns of Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham this offseason helped push Dominguez off the Opening Day roster. An injury to Giancarlo Stanton afforded him another opportunity with the big-league squad. He was recalled on Monday and started all three games against Texas. Dominguez went 1-for-9 before the elbow injury.
2. Dobbins activation Thursday
Cardinals right-hander Hunter Dobbins is expected to be activated for a start today. The 26-year-old is making his way back from a torn ACL and has been on the 15-day IL all year so far. Dobbins came over from the Red Sox in the Willson Contreras trade, along with prospects Yhoiker Fajardo and Blake Aita. He was solid in his first taste of the majors with Boston, delivering a 4.13 ERA across 13 appearances (11 starts). St. Louis moved several veteran players in the offseason, bringing back a slew of prospects. Dobbins will be the first of the group to debut with the club. The Cardinals have been more competitive than expected this year, but finding out what they have in the players acquired last winter will be a key storyline to watch as the season unfolds.
3. Palencia could return without rehab
The Cubs’ banged-up bullpen could get back a key piece on Friday. Closer Daniel Palencia has a chance to return for the series against the Diamondbacks, reports Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. The righty has been sidelined with what was initially labeled an oblique injury, then was updated to a lat strain. Chicago is also missing Hunter Harvey, Caleb Thielbar, Ethan Roberts, and Riley Martin. Porter Hodge is done for the year. Phil Maton returned this week after missing time with a knee injury. Manager Craig Counsell has mixed and matched in the ‘pen with Palencia out. It was lefty Hoby Milner who recorded the final out on Wednesday against the Padres. He’s the fifth different Cubs reliever to pick up a save this season.
Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images
The Opener: Ohtani, Rodriguez, Mattingly
Rays third baseman Junior Caminero seems to have avoided serious injury after fouling a ball off his face on Tuesday. He reached for a Tanner Bibee breaking ball and nicked it, sending it straight down. The ball careened off the plate and struck Caminero in the jaw (h/t Talkin’ Baseball for the video). He was able to finish the at-bat, but was removed on defense.
1. Pitcher-only Ohtani deals again
For the second time this season, Shohei Ohtani did not hit in a game he pitched. The right-hander fired six innings of one-run ball against the Marlins. After reaching six innings just four times last year (including the playoffs), Ohtani has completed six frames in all five starts so far. The outing against Miami actually raised his ERA from 0.38 to 0.60. Ohtani was pitching on regular rest for the first time this season, which was part of the reason he wasn’t in the hitting lineup. “I’m always going to respect the decision regardless whether I’m pitching or doing both,” Ohtani told reporters through an interpreter (h/t Alden Gonzalez of ESPN). “I also understand the importance of getting to the end of the season with everybody healthy.”
2. Yankees pitching prospect to make debut
Right-hander Elmer Rodriguez is expected to be promoted for his MLB debut against the Rangers on Wednesday. The 22-year-old is among the top pitching prospects in New York’s system. Rodriguez came over from the Red Sox in the Carlos Narvaez trade. Boston has already reaped the rewards of the deal, with Narvaez developing into a viable everyday backstop. Now it’s the Yankees’ turn to find out how they fared in the trade. Rodriguez climbed from High-A all the way to Triple-A in 2025. He’s delivered a 1.27 ERA across four starts with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season.
3. Mattingly off to 1-0 start
The Phillies cruised to a shutout win over the Giants behind seven strong innings from Jesus Luzardo. It’s the first victory for interim manager Don Mattingly, who took over after Rob Thomson was fired on Tuesday. Mattingly is now 10 wins shy of reaching 900 victories as a big-league manager. He led the Dodgers to five straight winning seasons from 2011 to 2015. Los Angeles won three consecutive division titles in that stretch, but postseason success eluded the club. Mattingly’s run with the Marlins wasn’t as successful. Miami finished above .500 just once during his seven seasons in charge, and that was the shortened 2020 campaign. Mattingly will be tasked with turning around a Philadelphia squad that is currently tied with the Mets for the worst record in baseball.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
The Opener: Bazzana, Yesavage, Vargas
The Dodgers walked off the Marlins on Monday night. Manager Dave Roberts emptied his bench to spur the comeback. Catcher Dalton Rushing pinch-hit for Santiago Espinal, walking and scoring the game-tying run. If the game didn’t end on a base hit by Kyle Tucker, the defensive alignment would’ve been interesting in extras. Roberts confirmed to reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that it would’ve been Rushing at first base, Max Muncy at second base, and Freddie Freeman at third base.
1. Bazzana gets the call
The Guardians are expected to promote second baseman Travis Bazzana for Tuesday’s matchup against the Rays. The top overall pick in the 2024 draft was off to an excellent start at Triple-A, posting a 152 wRC+ across 117 plate appearances. MLB Pipeline ranks Bazzana as the No. 1 prospect in the Cleveland organization and No. 16 overall. The infielder is slated for everyday reps at the keystone, where the club has struggled to find consistent production. Utilityman Daniel Schneemann has hit well in minimal time at the position, but Juan Brito has struggled to a .176/.250/.255. Brayan Rocchio wasn’t much better, though he’s heated up since moving to shortstop after the Gabriel Arias injury. Bazzana should have plenty of runway to stake his claim to the second base gig.
2. Yesavage makes his return
Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage is slated to make his season debut against the Red Sox. The 2025 postseason star has been sidelined with a shoulder impingement. Yesavage hasn’t exactly dominated during his rehab assignment, posting a 7.50 ERA in 12 innings between Single-A and Triple-A, but the punchouts have been there (28.6% strikeout rate). Yesavage will rejoin a Toronto rotation desperate for healthy arms. The club just lost Max Scherzer to forearm and ankle injuries. He joins Jose Berrios, Shane Bieber, and Cody Ponce on the IL. Yesavage maxed out at 71 pitches during his rehab stint, so he shouldn’t be expected to go more than five innings in his return. He’ll face off against another exciting young AL East arm, with Payton Tolle on the other side.
3. Vargas on improbable run
Diamondbacks utility player Ildemaro Vargas has gone from versatile journeyman to one of the best hitters in the league this season. The 34-year-old just launched four home runs and knocked in 12 en route to NL Player of the Week honors. Vargas is slashing an absurd .367/.383/.722 through 82 plate appearances. He’s riding a 20-game hit streak. Vargas has already matched his career high with six home runs, a mark he set back in 2019 in his first stint with Arizona. It’s hard to imagine Vargas continuing this torrid stretch, but the underlying stats largely back it up. He ranks in the 99th percentile for xBA and in the 89th percentile for xSLG.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
Can Chase Dollander Defeat Coors Field?
Rockies right-hander Chase Dollander fired seven scoreless innings to earn a win against the Mets on Sunday. The outing lowered his April ERA to a pristine 1.29. He’s piled up 34 strikeouts over 28 innings this month. Sunday’s outing was the first traditional start of the season for Dollander. He’d pitched exclusively out of the bullpen to begin the year, typically as a bulk reliever following an opener.
Dollander’s win over the Mets came at Citi Field. It was his fifth appearance on the road this season, compared to just two games at Coors Field. The young righty has been able to tame the hitter-friendly venue so far. Dollander allowed a run over 4 1/3 innings at home against the Phillies in his second outing of the season. He limited the Padres to a run across six innings early last week, piling up nine strikeouts. Colorado scored one run total in Dollander’s two home games, saddling him with the loss both times.
The Rockies took Dollander with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 draft. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 2 prospect in the system in 2024, behind only infielder Adael Amador. Dollander struck out minor leaguers at a healthy 33.9% clip that season. The hard-throwing righty debuted with the Rockies last year. The results were brutal in basically every regard. Dollander struggled to miss bats, failed to find the strike zone consistently, and was frequently barreled. His 6.52 ERA was backed by an xFIP and SIERA near 5.00.
Dollander has taken a step forward in multiple areas in his second attempt as a big leaguer. He’s added a tick to his fastball, which was already extremely hard for a starter. Dollander’s four-seamer is sitting at 99 mph this year, ranking fourth among all pitchers. He’s more than doubled his sinker usage, contributing to a well-above-averge 51.9% groundball rate. Despite the increase in sinkers, Dollander has a strong 13.4% swinging-strike rate.
Keeping the ball on the ground while getting ample whiffs is a great recipe for success. Dollander’s 55.7% hard-hit rate stands out as a red flag, but it’s not turning into damage due to the type of batted balls he’s permitting. Only 8.9% of the contact against Dollander has been pulled in the air. Hard-hit balls on the ground and to the opposite way are generally going to lead to better outcomes for a pitcher than pulled air contact.
Colorado brought in Paul DePodesta to run baseball operations this offseason. He’s tasked with reviving a club that hasn’t won 70 games since 2021. The organization is currently in a seven-year playoff drought. DePodesta’s tenure is off to a solid start. The Rockies are just three games under .500 after sweeping the Mets over the weekend. The acquisitions of TJ Rumfield (trade) and Troy Johnston (waiver claim) have been additive, as has the signing of Tomoyuki Sugano. The Johnston addition came shortly before the DePodesta hire was announced, but it’s still part of what looks to have been a productive winter. DePodesta didn’t draft Dollander, of course, but his regime will be in charge of the righty’s development. The decision to initially use Dollander behind an opener, whether it came from manager Warren Schaeffer or the front office, proved fruitful.
Coors Field remains the most difficult place to pitch in the league. Per Statcast, it has a 112 overall Park Factor over the past three seasons, which ranks first by a significant margin. Chase Field is second on the list at 105. Colorado’s stadium ranks first in park effect for runs, OBP, hits, singles, and doubles, which makes sense given the spacious dimensions. The thin air in Denver also limits the effectiveness of breaking balls, forcing pitchers to reconsider their arsenals.
The Rockies have had the occasional pitcher break through with a productive season, despite the difficult home environment. Kyle Freeland finished eighth in ERA with a 2.85 mark in 2018. Jon Gray had a pair of sub-4.00 ERA seasons in the late 2010s. Jorge De La Rosa and Jhoulys Chacin formed a formidable duo in 2013, each posting sub-3.50 ERAs over 30+ starts. ERA is far from the only relevant pitching stat, but it’s a reliable marker for a successful season in a venue that boosts run production like no other.
Ubaldo Jimenez stands out as one of the only starters to have extended success in Colorado. He’s the name that gets whispered whenever a Rockies pitcher brushes up against relevance. The righty entered the rotation on a full-time basis in 2008. He racked up 16.8 WAR (per Baseball Reference) over the next three seasons. The walks were a bit high, but Jimenez limited damage with the help of a diverse arsenal. The 2010 campaign was his masterpiece. Jimenez posted 221 2/3 frames of a 2.88 ERA with nearly a strikeout per inning. He earned an All-Star selection and finished third in NL Cy Young voting. Jimenez had better numbers on the road, but not by much. He held opponents to a .661 OPS and a .294 wOBA in 101 2/3 innings at Coors Field.
Jimenez was the rare pitcher to perform worse after leaving Colorado. He had one good year after getting traded to Cleveland, but didn’t find much success beyond his Rockies tenure. Jimenez did provide what would seem to be a viable blueprint for surviving at Coors Field: above-average velocity, a diverse arsenal, and a pitch mix that isn’t overly reliant on breaking balls. Dollander checks those boxes. He uses a changeup instead of a splitter, but the rest of the repertoire lines up with peak Jimenez. It’s around 60% four-seamer/sinker, 12% changeup, and then a smattering of breaking balls (slider/curveball/sweeper). Dollander has also improved his walk rate to 6.9%. Even in Jimenez’s stellar 2010, he issued free passes at a double-digit clip.
Dollander is just 28 appearances into his big-league career. It’s a seven-game sample of positive results. There’s plenty of season left for him to succumb to the Colorado conditions, which aren’t limited to home games. Rockies players also have to adjust to leaving the Denver altitude for road trips. But the formula is there for Dollander to conquer Coors Field.
Photos courtesy of Wendell Cruz, Denis Poroy, Gary A. Vasquez, Imagn Images
The Opener: Torkelson, Tracy, Miller
What a finish to the Mexico City series. The Padres went into the seventh inning up 7-2 on Sunday. The Diamondbacks took the lead with a six-run rally, fueled by a Tim Tawa grand slam, then tacked on four more in the eighth inning. The Diamondbacks are off Monday as they head back to the U.S. but the Padres host the Cubs in San Diego tonight.
1. Torkelson ties Detroit record
First baseman Spencer Torkelson extended the Tigers’ lead in the seventh inning on Sunday with a solo shot off righty Pierce Johnson. The blast bumped his home run streak to five games, tying him with Hank Greenberg, Rudy York, Vic Wertz, Willie Horton, and Marcus Thames for the franchise record. The most surprising part of the run might be Torkelson’s slow start coming into it. He had a .566 OPS with zero home runs before going deep on Wednesday against Chad Patrick and the Brewers. Torkelson now has an .836 OPS, a good reminder of how quickly numbers can flip this early in the year.
2. Tracy earns first MLB win
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy is on the board as a big league manager. Boston beat the Orioles 5-3 behind a strong outing from young left-hander Connelly Early. It’s the 500th managerial win of Tracy’s career, with the first 499 coming at various stops in the minor leagues. Tracy took over for former skipper Alex Cora, who was unexpectedly fired on Saturday, along with several other coaches. The Red Sox were off to a 10-17 start under Cora. Boston now heads to Toronto for a three-game set.
3. Miller extends scoreless streak
Closer Mason Miller retired the side in order against the Diamondbacks on Saturday. The uneventful save gave him 10 on the year, three more than any other reliever. It also pushed his scoreless streak to a franchise-record 34 2/3 innings. “Big load off, for sure — I think we can stop talking about it now,” Miller told reporters, including AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “Just keep pitching, see how long we can go.” The righty is up to eighth on the all-time list for scoreless inning streaks by relievers since 1961.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Doster, Imagn Images