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Mariners Place Bryce Miller On IL With Elbow Inflammation

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1:00pm: Miller spoke to reporters, with video relayed by Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. He revealed that he had a cortisone shot and said that an MRI showed no structural damage. He’s hoping to return after a minimal IL stint.

11:50am: The Mariners announced today that right-hander Bryce Miller has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 12th, due to right elbow inflammation. Left-hander Jhonathan Díaz has been recalled to take his place on the roster.

The club hasn’t yet provided any updates on the severity of Miller’s injury or how long they expect him to be out, but it’s always worrisome when a pitcher’s throwing elbow is injured. His most recent start was against the Blue Jays on Sunday, which did not go well, as he allowed seven earned runs in five innings.

Afterwards, he spoke of some physical issues he’s been battling this season but without getting too specific, alluding to some arm soreness and back tightness. “In the past, it felt like I could get through six innings, it’s a breeze,” Miller said, per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com. “I’d feel as good as I do in the sixth as I did in the first. And it’s been a struggle to have that feeling so far. So I don’t know. We’re going to work on it.” Though he didn’t provide many details, Miller continued: “I’ve had multiple things that kind of have lingered since, really, the end of last season, and I kind of took them through the offseason. I thought that I’d be feeling good, and I haven’t felt like myself, body-wise and physically. I think that’s led to being more on my heels mentally, and it just kind of snowballed.”

Miller’s velocity is down a bit compared to last year. He averaged 95.2 miles per hour on his fastball in 2024 and was in that range for much of the early parts of the season as well. So far this year, he’s down to 94.4 mph. Most of his other pitches are down a tick or two as well.

As Miller alluded to, getting deeper into games has been an issue. He hasn’t yet gone six frames in a start this year. His first two outings were his only two going more than five innings. Last year, he went seven innings seven times and six or above an additional 13 times.

The righty is currently sporting a 5.22 earned run average on the year, a big jump from last year’s 2.94 ERA. His 20.1% strikeout rate is a few points below last year’s 24.3% mark, while his walk rate has almost doubled from 6.4% to 12.1%.

Perhaps the physical issues provide a partial explanation for the declining results, but it’s still an unpleasant development for the M’s, who are already dealing with a depleted rotation. George Kirby has been on the IL all season so far due to shoulder inflammation. Logan Gilbert followed him to the IL in late April, suffering from a flexor strain in his pitching elbow.

The Mariners were hoping to start the season with an elite rotation consisting of Miller, Kirby, Gilbert, Bryan Woo and Luis Castillo. That was such a talented group that trade rumors swirled around them all winter. The Seattle front office downplayed the possibility of a trade and is surely glad that they resisted the temptation to flip pitching for more offense, as they are now without three of their projected starting five.

Kirby has been on a rehab assignment and is expected to make one more appearance in the minors before rejoining the major league club next week. Gilbert is perhaps a bit behind Kirby, though he did throw a bullpen yesterday, per Kramer.

For the time being, the Mariners will proceed with a rotation consisting of Castillo, Woo, Logan Evans and Emerson Hancock. Castillo is starting today’s game and then the club is off tomorrow. Díaz can perhaps make a spot start or serve as a long reliever out of the bullpen. That might be a short stay with Kirby due back soon, but both Evans and Hancock currently have ERAs at 6.60 or above, so perhaps one of them could get bumped out instead.

Photo courtesy of Steven Bisig, Imagn Images

Brewers Place Jose Quintana On IL With Shoulder Impingement

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The Brewers announced today that left-hander Jose Quintana has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 11th, due to a left shoulder impingement. Right-hander Tobias Myers has been recalled in a corresponding move.

Quintana, 36, was originally scheduled to start today’s game. However, earlier this week, his start was pushed back to the weekend. He spoke to reporters yesterday about his status, with video relayed by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, saying that he has been dealing with inflammation in his shoulder and biceps. The plan was to throw a bullpen this morning and then start on Saturday.

It appears that will no longer be the case. It’s unclear what happened with today’s bullpen, but the Brewers have decided to put him on the shelf. It’s unclear how long they expect him to be out, but he’ll miss at least a couple of turns through the rotation.

The Milwaukee starting staff has been in flux all year along. The club opened the year knowing that guys like Robert Gasser and Brandon Woodruff would be starting the season on the IL, but then spring injuries to DL Hall and Aaron Ashby further cut into the depth. As a reaction to those injuries, the club reached out to Quintana, who was still unsigned in early March. Early in the season, they also lost Aaron Civale and Nestor Cortes to the IL, prompting the club to acquire Quinn Priester from the Red Sox.

Though they have been spinning plates, the Brewers felt the group was starting to stabilize. Myers has seen his results back up a bit this year, so he was optioned to the minors three days ago. However, the Brewers have quickly had to pivot and recall him again. Woodruff was about to return after over a year recovering from shoulder surgery but a recent ankle injury has put another speed bump in his path. That and this Quintana injury have opened the door for Myers to return. Players normally have to wait 15 days before being recalled after being optioned but an exception is allowed if a player is going on the IL.

Quintana is now the seventh Milwaukee starter on the shelf, alongside Ashby, Civale, Cortes, Gasser, Hall and Woodruff. Assuming Myers is jumping back into the rotation, he slots alongside Freddy Peralta, Priester, Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick.

That is likely a temporary alignment, with some of the pitchers on the IL nearing returns. As mentioned, Woodruff was seemingly on the cusp before this ankle tendinitis popped up. It’s unclear how long that will push him back. Civale, Ashby and Hall are all on rehab assignments and could be back in the mix shortly. If Quintana’s issue is minor, he could be back later this month as well.

Despite all that tumult in the rotation, the club’s starters have a collective 3.77 ERA, good enough for 12th in the majors. However, the team’s offense has been underwhelming this year, a big reason why they are currently 20-23. Regardless, the club’s decision makers are surely hoping to get beyond this wave of injuries in order to have a more settled pitching staff.

Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images

Jordan Westburg Suffers Setback In Rehab

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Orioles manager Brandon Hyde announced to reporters, including Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun, that infielder Jordan Westburg has suffered a setback in his rehab. There is no estimated timetable for his return at this time but his running progression has been shut down.

Despite the lack of details, it’s obviously bad news for the O’s. Westburg landed on the 10-day injured list at the end of April due to a left hamstring strain. Just over a week ago, he was on the cusp of a rehab assignment, per Jake Rill of MLB.com. Returning after a fairly minimal absence seemed possible.

Now that’s all up in the air. Perhaps this will end up just being a brief setback, but it’s possible there could be knock-on effects. A player who misses just over a week might be able to return without even going on a rehab assignment. But the longer an absence lingers, the more time it could potentially take to get back in game shape.

Time will tell how serious this setback is, but it’s less than ideal for the Orioles. They are currently in a deep hole, sporting a 15-25 record, with only the lowly White Sox below them in the American League standings. There’s still plenty of season left and they can certainly climb back in it, but the front office may have to make some tough buy/sell decisions in the middle of July, which is now just two months away.

Westburg was a key part of the club’s success last year. He hit .264/.312/.481 for a 125 wRC+ while bouncing around between the three infield positions to the left of first base. But this year has been markedly different, as he hit just .217/.265/.391 before hitting the IL.

In Westburg’s absence, the Orioles have been getting good production from Jackson Holliday at second base. Shortstop Gunnar Henderson isn’t performing quite as well as last year but is still well above average at the plate.

At third base, the O’s have been without Westburg and Ramón Urías lately, though Urías was reinstated from the IL today. Outfielder Dylan Carlson was optioned as the corresponding move. With those two both on the IL, Emmanuel Rivera filled in admirably, putting up a .346/.393/.423 line. That has been propped up by an unsustainable .450 batting average on balls in play but the O’s could hardly have expected more from an emergency call-up. Urías is playing third base in the first game of today’s double-header but Rivera might continue to get some playing time as those two cover for Westburg.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr., Imagn Images

Major League Baseball Rules That Permanent Ineligibility Ends At Death

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Major League Baseball issued a statement on a landmark decision today. Commissioner Rob Manfred had decided that players on the permanently ineligible list will lose that status once they die. This means that players like Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson are now off the permanently ineligible list, as well as 15 others.

“Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. today issued a policy decision regarding the status of individuals who have passed away while on the permanently ineligible list,” the league’s press release says. “This issue has never been formally addressed by Major League Baseball, but an application filed by the family of Pete Rose has made it incumbent upon the Office of the Commissioner to reach a policy decision on this unprecedented issue in the modern era as Mr. Rose is the first person banned after the tenure of Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis to die while still on the ineligible list. Commissioner Manfred has concluded that MLB’s policy shall be that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual.

In a letter to Jeffrey M. Lenkov, the attorney for Mr. Rose, Commissioner Manfred wrote, ’In my view, a determination must be made regarding how the phrase ‘permanently ineligible’ should be interpreted in light of the purposes and policies behind Rule 21, which are to: (1) protect the game from individuals who pose a risk to the integrity of the sport by prohibiting the participation of such individuals; and (2) create a deterrent effect that reduces the likelihood of future violations by others. In my view, once an individual has passed away, the purposes of Rule 21 have been served. Obviously, a person no longer with us cannot represent a threat to the integrity of the game. Moreover, it is hard to conceive of a penalty that has more deterrent effect than one that lasts a lifetime with no reprieve. Therefore, I have concluded that permanent ineligibility ends upon the passing of the disciplined individual, and Mr. Rose will be removed from the permanently ineligible list.’

Commissioner Manfred further wrote, ’While it is my preference not to disturb decisions made by prior Commissioners, Mr. Rose was not placed on the permanently ineligible list by Commissioner action but rather as the result of a 1989 settlement of potential litigation with the Commissioner’s Office. My decision today is consistent with Commissioner Giamatti’s expectations of that agreement.

’Commissioner Giamatti’s comments were completely reasonable given that, at the time, the Hall of Fame did not have a rule barring people on the permanently ineligible list from Hall of Fame consideration. In fact, Shoeless Joe Jackson was afforded the opportunity to be voted upon in 1936 and again in 1946.’

To establish clarity for the administration of the Major League Rules, the decision in this matter shall apply to individuals in the past or future who are posthumously on the permanently ineligible list. There are 17 deceased individuals disciplined since the founding of the Commissioner’s Office impacted by today’s announcement, including Eddie Cicotte, Happy Felsch, Chick Gandil, Joe Jackson, Fred McMullin, Swede Risberg, Buck Weaver and Lefty Williams; Joe Gedeon; Gene Paulette; Benny Kauff; Lee Magee; Phil Douglas; Cozy Dolan; Jimmy O’Connell; William Cox; and Pete Rose.”

Most baseball fans are well aware of the complexities of the Rose situation. He was one of the best players of all-time strictly in terms of on-field ability. He is the MLB all-time leader in hits with 4,256. He would have been a slam-dunk Hall-of-Famer but blocked his own path with his off-field behavior.

Rose was a player-manager with the Reds in 1984 and he continued serving as the skipper into the 1989 season, even though he stopped playing after 1986. During the 1989 campaign, an MLB investigation determined that Rose had bet on baseball, including bets on the Reds while he was managing. He only bet on the Reds to win and there’s no suggestion that he tried to fix games, but that was still a violation of MLB’s biggest rule.

Any player or coach who bets on a game involving his own team receives a lifetime ban, which Rose did indeed receive. In 1991, the Hall of Fame passed a rule that anyone with a lifetime ban would not be eligible to be inducted.

Rose passed away in September of 2024. Prior to that, he had long pushed for his reinstatement without success but has now been removed from the list posthumously. It was reported in the offseason that the league was considering a petition on Rose’s behalf from various people, including Rose’s daughter Fawn.

Now that he has been removed from the ineligible list, Rose can be considered for the Hall of Fame. Bob Nightengale of USA Today relays a statement from the Hall stating that the individuals involved in today’s ruling will be under consideration as part of the 2027 deliberations. The Era Committee process works in a three-year rotating cycle. In one year, they consider players from the Classic Baseball Era, which includes those whose major contributions were prior to 1980. Then there’s the Contemporary Baseball Era, which is for players whose contributions were mostly after 1980, and then a year for managers/executives/umpires from the same era.

2024 was a “Classic Baseball Era” year, with the Hall selecting Dick Allen and Dave Parker for induction. 2025 will see the Contemporary Era get consideration, with the managers/executives/umpires getting their turn in 2026, followed by a return to the Classic Baseball Era in 2027.

That doesn’t mean Rose is a lock to get in at that time. Hall of Fame voters are instructed to consider a player’s integrity and character alongside his contributions on the field. In addition to Rose’s gambling, he has also been accused of having sexual relationships with underage girls during his playing days. Those developments emerged about a decade ago and ended Rose’s broadcasting career. ESPN provided details on the legalities of those issues in 2017 and on Rose’s comments the situation in 2022.

Apart from Rose, Jackson is the most notable name here. Most baseball fans are familiar with the “Black Sox” scandal, where Jackson and several other members of the White Sox were accused of intentionally losing the 1919 World Series in exchange for payment from a gambling syndicate. Commissioner Landis eventually gave lifetime bans to Jackson, Cicotte, Felsh, Gandil, McMullin, Risberg, Weaver and Williams.

The decision has been a part of baseball lore for more than a century now, becoming the subject of several books as well as the films Eight Men Out and Field of Dreams. Jackson was one of the top players in baseball at his peak but wasn’t able to play beyond his age-30 season due to the ban. His defenders point out that his performance during the World Series doesn’t align with someone trying to lose, as he hit .375/.394/.563 over the eight games in the best-of-nine series.

As referenced in today’s statement, Jackson wasn’t formally excluded from voting but he got just two votes in both 1936 and 1946, when the memory of the scandal was still somewhat fresh. It’s possible that the passage of time has led to a change in attitude from the baseball world, but his candidacy will surely be hotly debated in the years to come.

Many of the other players are mere footnotes in this decision. A handful of them were banned for gambling infractions before they had the chance to rack up the accolades necessary for Hall of Fame consideration. Back in March, the Hall of Fame announced adjustments to the Era Committee voting process. In order to be elected, a candidate must receive 12 of 16 votes. Any candidate receiving fewer than five votes will not be eligible for the next cycle three years later. If a candidate gets four or fewer votes on two separate occasions, they will be considered permanently ineligible for future consideration.

Photo courtesy of Sam Greene, Imagn Images.

Latest On Red Sox’ Rotation

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Right-hander Tanner Houck was lit up by the Tigers last night, the latest chapter in a very frustrating season. In the aftermath of the game, manager Álex Cora wouldn’t commit to Houck getting another start. “We’ll talk about it, of course,” Cora said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “I’ve got to take a look at the video and we’ve got to see what we’re gonna do. Right now, it’s too fresh. It’s too quick. We have to take a look at it and see if it’s mechanical, usage, or where we’re at.”

Houck only lasted 2 1/3 innings last night, but he allowed 11 earned runs in that time on three walks and nine hits, including two home runs. He did not record a strikeout. Shockingly, that was his second time this year allowing 11 earned runs in a start, the first coming against the Rays on April 14th.

For the whole season, he now has an 8.04 earned run average in 43 2/3 innings. It’s a sea change relative to last season. After years of oscillating between the rotation and the bullpen, he seemingly established himself as a bonafide starter in 2024. He took the ball 30 times for the Sox and logged 178 2/3 innings with a 3.12 ERA. His 20.7% strikeout rate was a tad below average but he had a solid 6.5% walk rate and strong 55.9% ground ball rate.

Everything has gone in the wrong direction so far this year. His walk rate has climbed marginally to 8.4% but his strikeouts are down to a 15.8% clip while he’s only getting grounders 48.3% of the time.

It’s a bit of a mystery as Houck says he can’t find anything physically wrong, which is backed up by the data. His velocity is actually higher than last year. For whatever reason, his splitter is way less effective, which seems to be a big part of the problem. Opponents hit .194 against it last year with a .264 slugging percentage, but those numbers are up to .425 and .475 this year. His sweeper has also declined in impact, though to a lesser degree. That pitch allowed a .230 average and .357 slug last year but .305 and .492 this year.

As Cora laid out, it’s a puzzle they will have to solve, though they may not let Houck work it out in the rotation. Currently, the club is also giving starts to Garrett Crochet, Lucas Giolito, Brayan Bello and Hunter Dobbins. Giolito is the only one in that group with an ERA above 2.78, and he’s only made three starts since coming off the IL.

The Sox also have reinforcements on the way. Walker Buehler, Richard Fitts and Kutter Crawford are each on the IL and making progress towards returning to the club. Buehler landed on the IL earlier this month due to shoulder bursitis but is expected back next week without a rehab assignment. Fitts and Crawford are a bit further away but both have been throwing lately and appear to be nearing rehab assignments. Fitts landed on the IL a month ago due to a right pectoral strain. Crawford has been on the IL all year due to patellar tendinopathy in his right knee.

As those guys return, it will be harder for Houck to continue holding a spot unless he can turn things around. That’s if the Sox even give him another start, which doesn’t seem to be guaranteed. In addition to those injury returnees, there’s also Sean Newcomb, who did a huge solid for the Sox last night. After Houck exited, he absorbed 5 2/3 innings with two earned runs allowed. He now has a 3.51 ERA on the year, working both as a starter and reliever. Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski are on the 40-man and putting up good numbers in Triple-A.

Given how good Houck was last year, the Sox might be tempted into giving him a chance to work it out. However, they are currently in the midst of a super tight playoff race and can only afford so much patience. Houck has had previous success as a reliever, so perhaps they could kick him back there. But on the other hand, he has clear upside as a mid-rotation starter, so perhaps they don’t want to give up on that. He does still have options and could be sent down to Triple-A to try to right the ship there. One way or another, decisions will need to be made soon.

Photo courtesy of Ken Blaze, Imagn Images

Royals Sign Rich Hill To Minor League Deal

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The Royals announced that they have signed left-hander Rich Hill to a minor league deal. He will report to the club’s spring training/Complex League facility in Surprise but will be heading to Triple-A Omaha soon.

The veteran lefty has already defied the normal aging curves and seems determined to do so again. Now 45 years old, Hill would easily be the oldest player in the majors if he eventually has his contract selected. 42-year-old Justin Verlander is oldest active player at the moment.

Hill has a long and storied career that dates back to his 2005 debut. He had some success in the subsequent years, followed by a long stretch of being injured and/or ineffective. He returned to prominence about a decade ago, amazingly having some of his best seasons while in his mid-30s.

Lately, the results haven’t been quite as strong. His last full season was 2023, in which he finished with a 5.41 earned run average. That was fairly lopsided, as he had a 4.76 ERA with the Pirates but then struggled badly after being traded to the Padres.

He believed that he could be better with an unconventional approach, so he intentionally waited until late in 2024 to sign a new deal. This would allow him to spend more time with his family, in addition to saving his best results for later in the year, theoretically giving him a better chance to thrive in competitive games down the stretch.

The plan didn’t quite work out. He signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox in the middle of August. After a couple of weeks in the minors, he was added to the big league roster but wasn’t given a rotation job. He made four low-leverage relief appearances before being designated for assignment and then released.

Over the winter, he said he was still planning to pitch in 2025, but without trying the same late-signing strategy. As recently as three weeks ago, he said he was still throwing and hoping to sign. Whether it’s by design or simply due to a soft market, Hill is now splitting the difference somewhat. He is signing and getting started later in the year, but with a few extra months of potential ramp-up time relative to last season.

The Royals don’t really need starting pitching. They have one of the best rotations in the majors, something that MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently took a detailed look at. They have a strong front four in Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, with Michael Lorenzen a serviceable back-end guy as well. Noah Cameron, one of the better pitching prospects in the majors, is on the 40-man and pitching in the Triple-A rotation.

However, there’s little harm in adding some extra depth, just in case the injury bug bites. The Royals have also recently seen both Alec Marsh and Kyle Wright suffer setbacks in their rehabs, so perhaps they have added Hill in response to those developments.

Even if they don’t need him, they can let him take the ball and get into game shape. If he finds himself in good form as the trade deadline approaches, they could perhaps flip him to some other club with a greater rotation need. It’s also possible that the deal contains some opt-outs or upward mobility clauses, so Hill can get out of the deal if the Royals don’t call him up.

If Hill is able to get back to the majors, with the Royals or some other club, he would get a chance to add to his career stat lines. He has 1,409 big league innings over his career with a 4.01 ERA, 24% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate.

Photo courtesy of Rick Osentoski, Imagn Images.

Brandon Woodruff Pulled Off Rehab Assignment Due To Ankle Injury

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Right-hander Brandon Woodruff seemed on the cusp of returning to the Brewers but that will have to wait a bit longer. He has some right ankle tendinitis and has been returned from his rehab assignment, per Andrew Wagner of Freeman Sports and 105.7 The Fan.

Woodruff, 32, is trying to work his way back from shoulder surgery. His 2023 was cut short due to an injury to his throwing shoulder and the subsequent operation prevented him from pitching in 2024. He was still working on getting healthy as the 2025 campaign began, which landed him on the 15-day injured list.

He didn’t seem to be too far off, as he started a rehab assignment pretty early, making a minor league appearance on April 12. Rehab assignments for pitchers can last as long as 30 days, so he was coming to the end of that window, making his sixth rehab start yesterday.

However, this new injury will prevent that from happening. It’s unclear how long the Brewers expect him to rest his ankle but, per MLB rules, he has to wait at least seven days before starting a new rehab assignment.

That will delay the return of a pitcher who was once a huge part of the club’s success. From 2019 to 2022, he posted a 3.02 earned run average over 528 innings for the Brewers. He struck out 30% of batters faced, only gave out walks at a 6.3% clip and got grounders on 42.2% of balls in play.

The Brewers non-tendered him ahead of the 2024 season but re-signed him to a back-loaded deal, accounting for his expected injury absence. He made $2.5MM last year and is making $5MM this year, followed by a $10MM buyout on a $20MM mutual option for 2026. Mutual options are almost never picked up by both sides, so that was just an accounting measure to kick some of the money into the future.

For now, the Brewers will have a few other rotation issues to deal with. The club optioned right-hander Tobias Myers yesterday morning, perhaps hoping that Woodruff would take his rotation spot, though that won’t be happening now. Pitchers optioned to the minors have to stay down for a minimum of 15 days unless they are being recalled to replace someone going on the injured list. That means Myers can’t be called back unless someone else gets hurt.

Also, left-hander Jose Quintana has a minor issue of note. The lefty was scheduled to start Wednesday’s game but has a “cranky arm,” per Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The club plans to push him to Friday but that may depend on how he responds between now and then. Whatever issue he’s dealing with wasn’t apparent in the data of his most recent start, as his velocity on all his pitches was actually up relative to his previous outing.

With Myers optioned and Quintana out of action for a few days, the club is down to Freddy Peralta, Quinn Priester and Chad Patrick as healthy rotation options. Peralta and Priester are scheduled for today and tomorrow but the club will need a solution for Wednesday, and maybe another solution after that if Quintana needs to miss some time.

Patrick just started yesterday and won’t be available by Wednesday. Tyler Alexander has starting experience but pitched in relief for the Brewers in each of the past two days. Perhaps they could lean on him for multiple innings on Wednesday if they can stay away from him between now and then. Aaron Civale, on the IL due to a hamstring strain, threw four innings in a rehab outing on Thursday. That was his first rehab outing but he got his pitch count up to 50. Aaron Ashby and DL Hall are also on rehab assignment but Ashby’s most recent outing was just two innings while Hall’s was just three.

Elvin Rodríguez is on the 40-man but was optioned in recent days and is therefore in the same boat as Myers. Carlos Rodríguez just pitched on Saturday and wouldn’t be rested by Wednesday. Logan Henderson is on the 40-man and could be an option. Prospect Jacob Misiorowski could also be available, though he’s not yet on the 40-man roster.

All of these various injuries and others have left the Milwaukee rotation in a state of flux all year. That’s what prompted the late signing of Quintana and the early-season trade for Priester. With so many guys nearing a return from the injured list, some stabilization could be just over the horizon, but that won’t involve Woodruff for now.

Photo courtesy of William Glasheen, Imagn Images

Ronald Acuña Jr. To Begin Rehab Assignment

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The Braves announced to reporters, including Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will start a rehab assignment in the Complex League tomorrow. He will be playing the outfield and will be monitored for a potential transfer to Triple-A Gwinnett at some point. The club also announced that right-hander Spencer Strider will throw a simulated game on Wednesday, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The plan is for Strider to throw 70 to 75 pitches before a decision is made about whether to send him on a rehab assignment or simply reinstate him from the injured list.

The news is obviously quite welcome for Atlanta fans. The injuries to the two players have been hampering the club for almost all of the past year-plus. Strider required UCL surgery in the middle of April last year. Just over a month later, Acuña suffered a torn left ACL. The club limped through the rest of the season without those two, qualifying for a Wild Card spot in the final game of the season. They were quickly swept by the Padres in the Wild Card round.

Here in 2025, things have gotten out to a rough start. Strider was reinstated from the IL last month but made just one start before a hamstring strain put him back on the shelf. Jurickson Profar, signed in the offseason to bolster the outfield in Acuña’s absence, played just four games before receiving an 80-game PED suspension. Reynaldo López made just one start before requiring arthroscopic shoulder surgery and is going to be out for several months.

Around all of those speedbumps, Atlanta has managed to somewhat tread water, currently sporting a 19-21 record. The upcoming returns of both Acuña and Strider should improve their chances of climbing in the standings going forward.

When last healthy, Acuña was on top of the world. He was the Most Valuable Player in the National League in 2023. He hit 41 home runs and stole 73 bases that season, producing a .337/.416/.596 batting line and 171 wRC+. FanGraphs considered him to be worth 9.1 wins above replacement while Baseball Reference had him at 8.4. That was all the more impressive because he had recovered from a previous ACL tear in his right knee.

His initial return from that injury, suffered in June of 2021, was more good than great. He was reinstated from the IL in April of 2022 and then hit .266/.351/.413 for a 115 wRC+ that year. But in 2023, he was firing on all cylinders and was one of the best players in the world.

It’s anyone’s guess which version of Acuña will show up this year. With his previous ACL tear, he was eventually able to get back to MVP-level performance, but with a half-decent season in between. Now that he has suffered tears in both ACLs, it’s hard to say what’s ahead, but it shouldn’t take too much longer to find out. Rehab assignments for position players can last as long as 20 days. Even if Acuña uses that entire timeline, he’ll be back by early June, unless he suffers a setback of some kind.

When he does return, the club will have to decide which player loses playing time. Eli White is currently holding down Acuña’s right field spot. He has a .284/.333/.506 line and 127 wRC+, but is getting some help from a .350 batting average on balls in play. He could drop into a fourth outfielder role but left fielder Alex Verdugo has a .241/.300/.325 line and 76 wRC+ on the year, comparable to his poor season with the Yankees in 2024, so perhaps White could slide over to left and take some time there.

As for Strider, it seems there’s a chance he could be back as soon as a week from now, if the sim game goes well. Even if he does go on a rehab assignment, it might be a brief one. Whenever he’s healthy, he should slot next to Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach and AJ Smith-Shawver in the rotation. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes are currently in the mix but both have ERAs close to 5.00. Elder has a tepid strikeout rate but a good walk rate while Holmes has been getting more punchouts but also giving out more free passes.

Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Dodgers Acquire Steward Berroa

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The Dodgers have acquired outfielder Steward Berroa from the Blue Jays, according to announcements from both clubs. The Jays, who designated Berroa for assignment last week, receive cash considerations in return. The Dodgers have had an open 40-man since designating Yoendrys Gómez for assignment a week ago.

Berroa, 26 next month, got a small amount of major league experience last year. He got into 28 games for the Jays and stepped to the plate 45 times, putting up a .189/.333/.216 line in that time. He also stole six bases in eight tries and got some good reviews for his defense in that small sample, with Statcast placing his sprint speed in the 89th percentile of qualified big leaguers.

His minor league offense has often been better than that major league showing, though he was out to a slow start this year. He was optioned to Triple-A to start 2025 but hit .195/.267/.234 in 24 games before the Jays designated him for assignment.

Last year, he stepped to the plate 300 times at the Triple-A level. He hit ten home runs, drew a walk in 11.7% of those trips to the plate and struck out at a 23.7% clip, all that leading to a 120 wRC+. He also swiped 34 bags.

He also had a good year at the plate in 2023 but was subpar in 2022. As mentioned, he has started this year on a down note. His future offense may be a question, but as the old saying goes, speed doesn’t slump. Berroa had 58 steals on the farm in 2021 and then 47 in each of the two following years.

Berroa still has options and could be sent to the minors, or the Dodgers could bring him directly to the big league club. They currently have both Tommy Edman and Teoscar Hernández on the injured list, subtracting two outfielders from their active roster. That’s led to guys like Hyeseong Kim and James Outman getting playing time lately. Kim has a flat line of .318/.318/.318 thanks to no walks or extra-base hits, while Outman has a dismal .067/.176/.267 slash.

Whether it’s in the minors as depth or in the majors, Berroa seems at least capable of serving as a fourth outfielder. Even if the bat doesn’t come around, he could do some pinch running and defensive replacement work, while any developments at the plate would be a bonus.

Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images

Guardians Option Brayan Rocchio

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The Guardians announced that outfielder Will Brennan has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Infielder Brayan Rocchio has been sent the other way, optioned to Columbus as the corresponding move.

Rocchio, 24, heads to the minors for the first time since the 2023 season. He spent the entire 2024 campaign in the big leagues as Cleveland’s primary shortstop. He appeared in 143 games and stepped to the plate 442 times. His offense wasn’t great, as he hit just .206/.298/.316 for a 79 wRC+, indicating he was 21% below league average on the whole. He did steal 10 bases, but was also caught six times. His glovework was well regarded, as he racked up 11 Defensive Runs Saved and six Outs Above Average.

Put all together, FanGraphs considered him to be worth 1.1 wins above replacement on the season, with Baseball Reference a bit more generous at 1.9. That’s obviously not outstanding production but fine value for a guy making modest pay since he’s in his pre-arbitration years.

It was enough for him to open the 2025 season back in that role, but his performance has tanked and he has gradually ceded playing time to others. Through 102 plate appearances this year, Rocchio is hitting .165/.235/.198. His .208 batting average on balls in play is quite low but he’s also not hitting the ball with much authority. His average exit velocity, hard hit rate and barrel rate are no higher than the 11th percentile of qualified hitters, per Statcast. His 4.9% walk rate is less than half of last year’s 10% clip. The defensive metrics have also soured on him, with OAA having him at league par and DRS at -3.

In recent days and weeks, Gabriel Arias has been taking more of the shortstop time. He has a .264/.319/.416 line and 110 wRC+ on the year, with solid defense to boot. Presumably, he will take over as the regular shortstop now that Rocchio has been optioned. Arias and Daniel Schneemann had previously been sharing second base, so perhaps Schneeman will get more playing time at the keystone as he’s hitting .273/.356/.532 for a 154 wRC+ this year. Ángel Martínez and Will Wilson are on hand to step in to the middle infield, if needed, though Martínez is currently the club’s regular center fielder.

For Rocchio, instead of sitting on the big league bench, he can get some regular playing time with Columbus as he tries to get out of his recent funk. Getting his offense back to a more acceptable level could put him in position to return to the majors when an opportunity arises. He is still young and it’s certainly possible that there are better days ahead for him.

How long he spends on this optional assignment could impact his financial position in the future. He came into 2025 with one year and 37 days of service time. That put him on track to qualify for arbitration after 2026 and free agency after 2029, though those timelines will no longer be possible if he ends up spending several months down on the farm. He also has just one option season left, so he’ll be out of options next year if he spends at least 20 days in the minors this season.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

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