Andrew Wantz Elects Free Agency
The Rays announced that right-hander Andrew Wantz has cleared waivers and elected free agency. Tampa designated him for assignment a few days ago. He has a previous career outright, which gives him the right to reject further outright assignments in favor of the open market.
It was a very brief stint in the majors for Wantz. He was selected to the roster on Friday and designated for assignment on Sunday. He made one appearance, allowing five earned runs in an inning and two thirds.
The Rays were spinning plates for a while there, due to a few unique situations. Griffin Jax was hit by a comebacker last Tuesday and was removed after two innings. The next day, Steven Matz started, coming off a stint on the injured list with no rehab assignment. He lasted three innings, which led to Jonathan Heasley absorbing four frames in relief. After that, the Rays bumped off Heasley and added Wantz to give them a fresh arm. On Saturday, starter Drew Rasmussen only went four innings. Wantz was one of five relievers who pitched behind him. Wantz is out of options, so he was designated for assignment when they freshened up the bullpen once more.
Earlier in his career, Wantz had some decent results with the Angels. He tossed 117 innings for that club from 2021 to 2023, allowing 3.85 earned runs per nine. His 9.7% walk rate was a bit high but he struck out 25.4% of batters faced.
In 2024, the Angels tried stretching him out in the minors, which didn’t work. He posted a 6.17 ERA in seven appearances for Triple-A Salt Lake and then underwent some kind of elbow surgery. The details on that procedure were murky but he was outrighted off the roster at season’s end and then signed a two-year minor league deal with the Rays for 2025 and 2026.
He was back on the mound late last year with encouraging results, allowing just one earned run in 13 innings. He wasn’t able to carry that over into 2026, as he put up a 7.04 ERA in Triple-A before being called up for emergency action. That number was at least a bit misleading, as his .403 batting average on balls in play and 57.3% strand rate were both on the unfortunate side. His 20.7% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 45.8% ground ball rate were all close to average. His 4.04 FIP suggested he deserved far better.
In situations like this, it’s common for the player to re-sign with the club he just walked away from. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Rays re-sign Wantz in the near future but he has the chance to explore other opportunities.
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Latest On Athletics’ Rotation
The Athletics have taken a few rotation hits lately, with both Luis Severino and Aaron Civale hitting the injured list, the former due to a shoulder strain and the latter due to right shoulder tendonitis. Per Martín Gallegos of MLB.com, Civale has already begun a throwing progression but the update on Severino isn’t nearly as encouraging. Severino has been diagnosed with a strain of shoulder capsule and subscapularis muscle. He will be re-evaluated in four to six weeks.
Though Gallegos doesn’t specifically say so, the implication seems to be that Severino will be shut down for that four-to-six-week timeline. That timeline would take him pretty close to the All-Star break. Even if he is declared healthy then, he would need some kind of ramp-up period before going out on a rehab assignment. In other words, he may be on the IL into August.
That’s not an ideal development for the club, nor for the pitcher. For the A’s, Severino has been a mainstay of their rotation. The results haven’t been ace-like, but Severino has taken the ball and given them a chance to win. He signed a three-year, $67MM deal ahead of the 2025 season then gave the club 29 starts last year with a 4.54 earned run average. This year, he made 12 more starts with a 4.16 ERA.
The club’s temporary home of Sutter Health Park, normally the home of the Giants’ Triple-A club, has been very hitter-friendly and may have impacted Severino’s numbers. He had a 6.01 ERA at home last year and is at 5.33 this year. On the road, he had a 3.02 ERA last year and is at 3.38 in 2026.
Perhaps the home/road situation is oversimplified, since it’s not as though he’s been dominant under the hood. Since signing with the A’s, his 8.3% walk rate and 42% ground ball rate are close to average but his 19.4% strikeout rate is a few ticks worse than par. He has an overall 4.20 FIP and 4.47 SIERA since signing with the club. Regardless, it’s surely unwelcome that the A’s will be looking to proceed without Severino for several weeks.
For him personally, it could impact his contract situation. Severino can opt out of his deal after the current campaign, walking away from $22MM. He was trending towards a borderline decision, based on his decent but not astounding numbers. Since he has complained about the club’s facilities in the past, perhaps that would have tipped him towards opting out, but this injury might make that less likely.
Turning back to the club, they have Gage Jump and Jeffrey Springs listed as their probable pitchers for their next two games. J.T. Ginn should be following on Thursday. Despite the Severino and Civale injuries, they optioned Jacob Lopez today when they called up Kade Morris and Mason Barnett. Lopez has a 6.75 ERA this year, with subpar strikeout and walk rates of 15.6% and 13.6% respectively.
The club hasn’t made any formal announcements about the other rotation spots. Morris and Barnett could start. José Suarez has starting experience but has mostly been throwing under two innings in his appearances since joining the club last month. Gunnar Hoglund won’t be in the mix since he recently underwent season-ending hip surgery.
Since Civale has already started throwing, perhaps he will be back in the mix soon. If the A’s need another arm before he gets back, they have Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Joey Estes and Luis Morales on optional assignment, with Lopez now on his way to join that group.
The American League playoff race is wide open. Despite a 28-31 record, the A’s currently sit just half a game back of a Wild Card spot. If they manage to hang in the race into July, they should be looking for pitching at the deadline, even if Severino is working his way back to the club by then.
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Royals Claim Matthew Lugo, Select Beck Way
The Royals have claimed outfielder Matthew Lugo off waivers from the Angels, according to announcements from both clubs. The Halos had designated him for assignment last week. The Royals have optioned him to Triple-A Omaha. Additionally, the Royals announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Beck Way and optioned right-hander Eli Morgan. Kansas City had two 40-man openings for Lugo and Way due to catcher Elias Díaz and left-hander Bailey Falter being designated for assignment in recent weeks. The Royals also announced today that Falter cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Omaha. Díaz was outrighted last week.
Lugo, now 25, seemed to have a breakout season in 2024. Originally a draftee of the Red Sox, he was traded to the Angels that summer as part of the deal sending Luis García to Boston. Between those two organizations, Lugo hit .287/.376/.578 in the minors for a massive 156 wRC+, indicating he was 56% better than league average offensively.
Unfortunately, his results since then haven’t been nearly as encouraging. He has 642 minor league plate appearances dating back to the start of 2025 with a .261/.339/.430 line and 91 wRC+. He has also been sent the plate 70 times in the big leagues, with a .232/.243/.464 line and 89 wRC+ in those. Defensively, he’s considered a passable corner outfielder but isn’t elite out there. He has some ability on the basepaths, generally stealing 10 to 20 bases a year in the minors.
Ideally, Lugo will get his offense back to that form he showed in 2024, or something close to it. The Royals had some open roster space and Lugo has options, so there’s little harm in putting in a claim to get a close-up look at him at Omaha. He has a couple of options remaining, so he could be easily kept on the farm through the end of the 2027 season, though it’s also possible he gets bumped off the 40-man roster before then.
Way, 26, was a fourth-round pick of the Yankees in 2020. He was one of three players sent to the Royals in the 2022 deadline deal sending Andrew Benintendi to the Bronx. A starter at that time, Way has since been moved to a relief role. Last year’s results weren’t strong, as he posted a 5.93 earned run average in 74 1/3 innings on the farm.
This year’s numbers have been much better, though his 4.50 ERA in 30 innings doesn’t jump off the page. If it weren’t for a .361 batting average on balls in play and 62.5% strand rate, his ERA would be notably lower, hence his 3.22 FIP. His 32.6% strikeout rate and 50% ground ball rate are both well above average, while his 7.8% walk rate is also better than par. His four-seamer and sinker are both averaging in the upper 90s. He also throws a cutter, slider and changeup.
The Royals will give him a shot to see if he can get big league hitters out. Since this is his first major league call, he has a full slate of options, meaning he could be shuttled to Omaha and back when the club needs fresh arms.
Falter, 29, was acquired from the Pirates at last year’s deadline. Since then, he has been either injured or ineffective. Late last year, a left bicep contusion put him on the IL for over a month. This year, left elbow inflammation put him on the IL for about six weeks. Around those IL stints, he put up an ugly 12.46 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. He is out of options, so that performance got him bumped into DFA limbo and through the waiver wire unclaimed.
The lefty has the right to elect free agency but is unlikely to do so. Players with at least three years of big league service time have the right to reject outright assignments in favor of the open market, but they need five years of service to exercise that right while keeping their salary commitments in place. Falter is under the five-year line and making $3.6MM this year, so he presumably doesn’t want to walk away from that money.
Assuming he accepts his assignment, he’ll try to get back on track in Omaha and earn his way back onto the roster. Prior to joining the Royals, he was working as a decent back-end guy. He logged 296 innings for the Pirates with a 4.32 ERA.
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Athletics Select Kade Morris
June 2nd: The A’s made it official today, announced they have selected Morris. They also recalled Barnett. In corresponding moves, they optioned Lopez and right-hander Michael Kelly. To open a 40-man spot for Morris, righty Brooks Kriske has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. Kriske hit the 15-day IL on May 13th with a right shoulder impingement. His 60-day count is retroactive to that date, meaning he won’t be eligible for reinstatement until July 12th. His current status is unclear but Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported shortly after his IL placement that Kriske wouldn’t throw for three weeks.
June 1st: The Athletics are calling up pitching prospect Kade Morris, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. The club will need to open active and 40-man roster spots for the right-hander, who will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.
Morris, 24 this month, was a third-round pick of the Mets in 2023. He was flipped to the A’s at the 2024 trade deadline in the deal which sent Paul Blackburn to Queens. At the time of the deal, Morris was still at the High-A level but he has since bumped up to the upper tiers of the minor leagues. He got a very brief look at Triple-A at the end of that 2024 season but started 2025 at Double-A. He got promoted to Triple-A more permanently a year ago, making his first 2025 Triple-A start on June 1st.
In that past year, he has made 30 starts for Triple-A Las Vegas. He has logged 159 innings, allowing 4.92 earned runs per nine in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. His 18.5% strikeout rate is a few ticks below major league average but his 9% walk rate is around par while he has induced grounders on about half the balls in play he has allowed. His four-seamer and sinker both average around 94 miles per hour. His slider is his most-used secondary pitch.
Most prospect evaluators put Morris just outside the top ten prospects in the club’s system. That includes Baseball America, who had Morris at #13 coming into the season but now list him at #11. The BA report notes that he has good control of his arsenal but his main vulnerability is not having a good weapon for lefties since his changeup isn’t strong. Lefties have a .277/.409/.511 line against him this year and the line was .332/.395/.533 last year.
FanGraphs is a bit more bullish. In April, they gave Morris the #3 spot in the system, behind only Leo De Vries and Gage Jump. The report notes that a slight improvement to his changeup would make him a playoff-caliber starter, though he’s currently more of a back-end guy.
The A’s have taken a few rotation hits lately. Shoulder tendonitis sent Aaron Civale to the injured list a week ago. A shoulder strain put Luis Severino on the IL over the weekend. Those two injuries have led to the A’s reaching into their depth, with Gunnar Hoglund not an option since he required season-ending hip surgery. Jump got the call last week to replace Civale, joining the rotation alongside Jeffrey Springs, J.T. Ginn and Jacob Lopez.
Perhaps Morris is getting the call to take Severino’s rotation spot, or maybe to serve as a long reliever. The A’s also have Mason Barnett, Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Luis Morales and Joey Estes on the 40-man roster, so they have some other options who could be mixed in while Civale and Severino are on the shelf. Since this is the first time Morris has been given a roster spot, he has a full slate of options and could be easily sent back to Vegas if he’s not sticking around for an extended audition.
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Padres Select Jase Bowen
June 2nd: The Padres officially announced their selection of Bowen today. Laureano lands on the 10-day IL due to right hip inflammation, retroactive to May 31st. Pivetta has been moved to the 60-day IL as the corresponding 40-man move.
June 1st: The Padres are calling up outfielder Jase Bowen, reports Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The Friars will need to open space on the active and 40-man rosters for Bowen, who will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.
Bowen, now 25, was originally an 11th-round pick of the Pirates back in 2019. As a hitter, he has shown some pop but there have been some concerns regarding his approach. Through the end of 2024, he had over 2,000 plate appearances on the farm. He hit 64 home runs but his 7.5% walk rate and 25.6% strikeout rate were both subpar figures. He had a combined .243/.315/.406 line and 99 wRC+ in that time.
His 2025 numbers were a little bit intriguing. He missed time due to injury and only made 366 plate appearances but produced a strong .272/.353/.449 line, leading to a 124 wRC+. He improved his walk rate to 10.7% but was punched out at a 28.7% clip. His output was aided by a .376 batting average on balls in play. He didn’t have a roster spot at season’s end and became a minor league free agent, which is when the Padres signed him to a minor league deal.
This year, he has been with Triple-A El Paso and putting up good numbers, but with similar caveats to last year. He has 13 home runs, a 9.5% walk rate, a .292/.362/.600 line and 121 wRC+. However, his 26.6% strikeout rate is still a bit high and he again benefitted from a high BABIP, this time a .349 mark.
Even if his offense over the past two years isn’t totally sustainable, he can contribute in other ways. Back in April, FanGraphs ranked Bowen the #17 prospect in a weak Padres’ system. They raised concerns about his approach at the plate but noted he is a strong runner, which helps him on the basepaths and in the outfield. He stole at least 16 bases in each season from 2021 to 2025. Defensively, he’s spent time in all three outfield slots. If he can maintain any of his recent offensive numbers, that would be great. But even if not, he profiles as a decent fourth outfielder who can run down the ball and swipe a bag from time to time.
The Padres have recently had Fernando Tatis Jr. covering second base, leaving them with an outfield of Gavin Sheets, Jackson Merrill and Ramón Laureano. On the bench, they’ve got Nick Castellanos and Bryce Johnson, but both of them have been struggling. Castellanos has a .191/.221/.339 line while Johnson is at .188/.257/.250. Neither of them are optionable, so perhaps one of those two will be designated for assignment to open roster space for Bowen.
It’s also possible someone in that group is headed to the injured list with an unreported injury. If that’s the case, then the Friars could open a 40-man spot by moving someone to the 60-day injured list. Nick Pivetta would be a good candidate since he’s already been on the 15-day IL for almost two months, initially landing there April 13th. He hasn’t yet begun a rehab assignment and therefore isn’t in line for a near-term activation.
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Dairon Blanco, Sergio Alcántara Sign With Mexican League Teams
Outfielder Dairon Blanco has signed with the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR. He was playing in the minors for the Rangers but was released last week. Romero also reports that infielder Sergio Alcántara has signed with Pericos de Puebla in the same league.
Blanco, now 33, was a part-time player for the Royals from 2022 to 2025. For the most part, he was a bench outfielder whose best asset was his speed. Though he appeared in only 171 games and made just 285 plate appearances, he stole 59 bases in 73 tries in that time. He also received strong grades for his outfield glovework, as one would expect for a guy with big wheels.
His offense wasn’t considered as attractive but he wasn’t a zero at the plate. He slashed .257/.312/.416 over those four seasons with the Royals, leading to a 99 wRC+, indicating he was just barely below league average as a hitter. The right-handed hitter did best with the platoon advantage, slashing .296/.353/.509 against lefties compared to .228/.281/.349 against righties.
Blanco spent most of last year on optional assignment, only getting into nine big league games. The Royals designated him for assignment in March. He was claimed off waivers by the Rangers, though that club outrighted him off the roster that same month. He spent a couple of months as non-roster depth, hitting .230/.324/.295 in Triple-A, before the Rangers released him.
Alcántara, 29, began the year with the Phillies on a minor league deal. He hit .223/.389/.348 in 35 Triple-A games before being released. As a big leaguer, he has generally been a glove-first infielder. He has a .207/.278/.340 line in 506 plate appearances spread across four different seasons from 2020 to 2025.
In 532 shortstop innings, he has been credited with three Defensive Runs Saved and seven Outs Above Average. Oddly, the metrics are less kind with regards to his work at second and third base, even though those positions are considered less demanding than shortstop. Regardless, he has over 300 innings at each of those spots.
When players with big league experience sign with Mexican League teams, the contracts usually have provisions that allow MLB teams to sign them with no buyout. If either Blanco or Alcántara perform well south of the border, that could lead to a new minor league deal with an affiliated club.
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Reds Designate Brandon Leibrandt, Lyon Richardson For Assignment
The Reds announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Zach McCambley and recalled fellow righty Luis Mey. In corresponding moves, lefty Brandon Leibrandt and righty Lyon Richardson have been designated for assignment.
The Reds have been making frequent roster moves on the pitching side in recent days, as they try to cover for some injuries. On Friday, Graham Ashcraft hit the 60-day injured list with a sprained UCL, with the club selecting Yunior Marté to replace him. The next day, Pierce Johnson hit the IL with elbow inflammation and the club selected Richardson to the roster in his place, designating Kyle Nicolas for assignment to open a 40-man spot. Yesterday, the club selected Leibrandt and designated Marté for assignment.
Chase Burns was supposed to start yesterday’s game but was scratched due to illness. He hasn’t been placed on the IL and may start Wednesday’s game but the Reds had to improvise yesterday. Richardson tossed the first inning, allowing four runs. Caleb Ferguson tossed two scoreless, followed by Leibrandt going six, allowing five runs in a game the Reds dropped to the Royals 9-2. Richardson and Leibrandt have now been quickly bumped into DFA limbo to get fresh arms into the mix.
Leibrandt, 33, now has 21 1/3 innings of major league experience in scattered fashion. He threw nine innings over five appearances for the Marlins in 2020, then logged 6 1/3 for the 2024 Reds, followed by yesterday’s six. He has a 5.91 earned run average in that time. He has a 4.14 ERA in 385 Triple-A innings and has also bounced to independent ball and the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan.
Richardson, 26, was a second-round pick of the Reds back in 2018. He mostly worked as a starter on his way up the minor league ladder but struggled in that role upon reaching Triple-A. In 2025, he was in a primary relief role with mixed results. He tossed 32 Triple-A innings with a 4.22 ERA. His 23.5% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate were both around average while his 50% strikeout rate was quite strong. In 37 2/3 innings in the majors, he got ground balls at a similar clip but his 17.4% strikeout rate and 12.2% walk rate were both subpar.
He exhausted his final option year in 2025 and the Reds were able to outright him off the roster in the offseason. He began this year as non-roster depth, tossing 30 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 4.75 ERA. His 10.7% walk rate was a bit high but he struck out 26% of opponents while inducing grounders on 48.7% of balls in play. The poor ERA was partially due to an unfortunate 52.5% strand rate, which is why his 3.62 FIP painted a more flattering picture.
That got him back up to the majors but only for one subpar outing as an emergency opener. He’ll likely end up back on the waiver wire. Since he just cleared in January, he could clear again, unless a club snakebit by injuries takes a flier on him. Since he has already been outrighted once in his career, he would now have the right to elect free agency if he is outrighted again in the coming days.
McCambley, 27, has spent most of his career in the Marlins organization until recently. The Phillies took him in the Rule 5 draft but he was returned to the Marlins at the end of spring training. He was flipped to the Reds last month in exchange for outfielder Rece Hinds.
His Triple-A numbers have been encouraging apart from a lack of control. Between the Marlins and Reds this year, he has thrown 30 1/3 innings at the top minor league level with a 2.37 ERA. He has given a free pass to 14.9% of opponents but has struck out 30.6% of batters faced while inducing grounders on 53.4% of balls in play. The ERA is nice but he has benefitted from a .254 batting average on balls in play and 86.6% strand rate, so his 4.54 FIP is almost double his ERA. It’s been an unusual few months in terms of transactions but he is now finally in position to make his major league debut.
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Braves Select Carlos Carrasco
The Braves announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Carlos Carrasco. The righty takes the 40-man spot that was opened when he himself was designated for assignment a few days ago. He cleared waivers, elected free agency, re-signed and is now back with the big league club again. In terms of the active roster, fellow right-hander Anthony Molina was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett yesterday.
Carrasco and the club have done these dance steps many times. He was acquired from the Yankees in a cash deal in July of 2025. Since then, they have repeatedly gone through this cycle where he is added to the roster, helps absorb some innings and gets designated for assignment. After clearing waivers, he either accepts an outright assignment or elects free agency and then signs a new deal.
The appeal for Atlanta is clear, as they effectively get a 41st man on their 40-man roster. Whenever they want a fresh arm, they can call on Carrasco, who has generally done well when called upon this year. He has a 2.45 earned run average in four appearances. For Carrasco, he gets some sporadic big league pay and service time. Perhaps he would prefer a more steady gig but the fact that he keeps clearing waivers suggests no other club is willing to give him that.
Carrasco went four innings on May 27th and wasn’t going to be available for a few days. Atlanta swapped him out for Molina but then didn’t need Molina in the interim. With yesterday’s off-day, the staff isn’t taxed but they decided to bring Carrasco back as a long relief option.
Atlanta kicks off a six-game homestand tonight with three games against Toronto followed by three versus Pittsburgh. They are scheduled to go with Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes and Chris Sale against the Blue Jays. That should set them up to start with Martín Pérez and Spencer Strider against the Pirates, with Elder’s spot coming up again for the final game against the Bucs. If any of those games turns lopsided, Carrasco could be called upon to spare the rest of the relief corps.
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Rangers Place Chris Martin On IL With Shoulder Impingement
The Rangers announced a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game. They selected the contract of left-hander Robby Ahlstrom, recalled infielder/outfielder Cody Freeman and recalled right-hander Luis Curvelo. In corresponding active roster moves, they optioned right-hander Gavin Collyer, placed infielder/outfielder Sam Haggerty on the bereavement/family medical emergency list and placed righty Chris Martin on the 15-day IL due to a shoulder impingement. Martin’s move is retroactive to May 31st. To open a 40-man spot for Ahlstrom, left-hander Robert Garcia has been transferred to the 60-day IL. MLBTR covered the Ahlstrom move earlier today.
Martin will celebrate his 40th birthday while on the injured list, as he hits that milestone tomorrow. Despite his age, he has remained an effective reliever, or at least he had until recently. Last year, he made 49 appearances for the Rangers with a 2.98 earned run average. Though he had previously said 2025 would very likely be his last season, he signed up for another campaign, with Texas giving him a $4MM guarantee.
The results have been far worse this time, with the shoulder probably playing a notable role. This is already his second IL stint for a shoulder impingement this year, the first one spanning a little over a month from mid-April to mid-May. Around the IL stints, he has made 12 appearances but has been lit up for a 7.84 ERA. He hasn’t been helped by a .417 batting average on balls in play but his 14.3% strikeout rate and 30.8% ground ball rate are both well south of last year, when he punched out 24.7% of opponents and induced grounders on 42.6% of balls in play.
The Rangers haven’t yet provided any info about how long they expect Martin to be out of action. Ideally, this second IL stint will result in more proper healing, which could lead to better results once he is back on the mound.
As for Garcia, he was placed on the 15-day IL over a month ago, on April 20th. His 60-day count is retroactive to that date, so he will be eligible for reinstatement in a few weeks. A couple of days ago, manager Skip Schumaker said that Garcia is still weeks away, per Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News. Whenever Garcia is healthy, he can start a rehab assignment, even if he’s still within that 60-day window. Rehab assignments for pitchers can last as long as 30 days.
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Giants Select Buddy Kennedy
The Giants announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Buddy Kennedy. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Kennedy was in the clubhouse prior to the announcement. They also announced their selection of right-hander Wilkin Ramos, a move that was previously reported. In corresponding active roster moves, catcher Jesús Rodríguez has been optioned to Triple-A Sacramento and right-hander Joel Peguero has been placed on the 60-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The Peguero move also opened one 40-man spot. The other was opened by catcher Logan Porter being designated for assignment.
Kennedy, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Giants in the offseason. Since then, he has been putting up huge numbers for Triple-A Sacramento. He has matching walk and strikeout rates of 12.4%, which are both great numbers. He also has eight home runs. Even in the hitter-friendly context of the Pacific Coast League, his .321/.424/.543 line translates to a 153 wRC+, indicating he has been 53% better than the league average hitter. He has gotten some help from a .342 batting average on balls in play but would be having a good season even with some more neutral luck.
The Giants will be the latest team to try to benefit from a big league breakout from Kennedy. He has often put up good numbers on the farm, which has led to many major league chances he hasn’t been able to take advantage of. He received 181 plate appearances over the previous four campaigns, spending time with the Diamondbacks, Tigers, Phillies, Blue Jays and Dodgers. He put up a dismal .178/.271/.274 line with those clubs.
Despite that rough performance, it’s understandable why he keeps getting chances. For one thing, his MLB track record thus far consists of a very small sample size. In the minors, dating back to the start of 2024, he has a .285/.386/.458 line and 126 wRC+. He also provides defensive versatility, with professional experience at all four infield spots and left field. He shouldn’t be considered a real shortstop option since he has just ten minor league innings there and none since 2024, but the ability to bounce around to the other spots is valuable.
If he could combine that defensive versatility with some capable big league offense, he would be an attractive piece, but he hasn’t yet been able to cement himself as such. He has exhausted his options, pushing him to fringe roster territory. He had to settle for a minor league deal but has earned another big league shot with the Giants.
The Giants have been using a three-catcher system for a while now, with Rodríguez promoted in early May. At that time, he was sharing the roster with Patrick Bailey and Eric Haase. The Giants then traded Bailey to the Guardians and selected Porter to the roster. Porter was optioned not long after, just before the Giants reinstated Daniel Susac from the injured list. Rodríguez hasn’t been playing much in that setup lately, with just one plate appearance since May 26th. Instead of riding the pine in the big leagues, he’ll get regular reps in the minors while Kennedy gives the major league club a bit more infield depth.
Porter, 30, now heads into DFA limbo. That can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Giants could take as long as five days to explore trade interest, but they could also put him on waivers sooner than that.
He has generally been considered a good defender in the minors. His offense has shown flashes but has been inconsistent. From 2022 to 2024, he had a .267/.387/.433 line and 113 wRC+ on the farm, but he has a .218/.336/.325 line and 81 wRC+ since then. He has received some very brief looks in the majors and produced a .184/.326/.289 line 47 plate appearances.
He is still optionable and could perhaps appeal to a club in need of extra catching depth but he has cleared outright waivers twice before. Since he has been outrighted previously, he has the right to reject further outright assignments in favor of free agency.
As for Peguero, it’s a rough blow. He began the season on the IL due to that left hamstring and missed over a month, getting reinstated in early May. He made 11 appearances since then but is now right back on the IL. His exact timeline isn’t clear but the injury is apparently severe enough that the Giants have placed him directly onto the 60-day IL. He won’t be eligible for reinstatement until the end of July.
He has a 2.41 earned run average in the first 33 2/3 innings of his career, though that number is surely somewhat misleading. His 9% walk rate is around average and his 53.6% ground ball rate is quite good but his 16.4% strikeout rate is subpar. His .240 batting average on balls in play and 74.6% strand rate are both to the fortunate side, which has helped keep some runs off the board. His 3.83 FIP and 4.38 SIERA are perhaps better indicators of his true performance to date.
Those numbers will be locked in for at least another couple of months. In the meantime, Ramos will make his major league debut. If he can succeed, it will soften the blow of Peguero’s departure, at least to some degree.
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