Diamondbacks Sign Max Kepler
June 8th: Per the Associated Press, Kepler’s salary will be a prorated $780K, the league minimum. He can earn an extra $500K in roster bonuses. He would get $100K for spending 35 days on the roster, then $200K at 55 days and 75 days.
June 7th: The Diamondbacks announced a one-year deal with outfielder Max Kepler. The signing won’t yet impact Arizona’s 40-man roster or active roster, as Kepler is still on the restricted list while serving an 80-game PED suspension.
News broke last January about Kepler’s positive test for the PED known as Epitrenbolone, and with Kepler still on the free agent market, his camp and Major League Baseball worked out an agreement for Kepler to serve his 80-game suspension even if he didn’t land a new contract. Since Kepler didn’t sign until now, he has been serving his 80-game suspension as if he was still a member of the Phillies (his former team).
Philadelphia played its 65th game of the season today, so the final 15 games of Kepler’s suspension presumably now adhere to the Diamondbacks’ schedule. This makes June 25 the first day Kepler is eligible to take part in the 2026 season, so he’ll get a couple of weeks of ramp-up time in the minor leagues before making his D’Backs debut.
Financial terms of the signing weren’t revealed, but it can be assumed Kepler will be receiving a pretty small guaranteed salary prorated over the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Even before the suspension, Kepler was likely facing a tough market given his lack of production with the Phillies last year. He hit .216/.300/.391 with 18 home runs over 474 plate appearances, and even those modest numbers now come under the cloud of the PED suspension.
Kepler has provided almost exactly league-average offense over his 11 MLB seasons, as he had a 101 wRC+ from a career slash line of .235/.316/.425 over 1199 PA with the Twins and Phillies. Kepler posted a 122 wRC+ in both 2019 and 2023 and a 109 wRC+ during the shortened 2020 season, but he has otherwise been a subpar hitter in his other eight seasons.
The left-handed hitter has struggled against southpaw pitching for much of his career, limiting Kepler’s effectiveness as a true everyday player. Kepler has expressed some frustration over a platoon role in the past, such as last June when he said “I signed here [in Philadelphia] being told that I was going to be the starting everyday left fielder” after he wasn’t in the lineup for three straight games when the Phils faced left-handed starters.
While naturally more productive against right-handed pitching, Kepler hasn’t really been a righty-masher, as he has hit a respectable but uninspiring .240/.324/.446 over his career with the platoon advantage. Most of Kepler’s success against righties came earlier in his career, as he has batted just .237/.315/.408 in 1436 PA against righties since Opening Day 2022.
Beyond the offense, Kepler also contributed outstanding right field defense during his prime years as a regular in the Twins lineup. His defensive metrics, however, have dipped as he has battled knee problems in recent years, and the move to the seemingly easier left field position in Philadelphia resulted in +2 Defensive Runs Saved and 0 Outs Above Average over 773 1/3 innings (which represented the first time Kepler had ever played left in his career).
Corbin Carroll obviously has right field covered in Arizona, so Kepler will likely act as a left fielder and DH against right-handed pitching. The Diamondbacks were known to be looking for left-handed hitting help, given that outfielders Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jordan Lawlar, Ryan Waldschmidt, and Tommy Troy are all right-handed hitters. By the time Kepler is eligible for reinstatement, Gurriel should be back from the hamstring strain that has sidelined him for last couple of weeks, and Lawlar (currently on a Triple-A rehab assignment) should be back from the broken wrist that has kept him on the IL for over two months.
It should be noted that Kepler’s salary is likely small enough that the D’Backs would feel comfortable releasing Kepler (or designating him for assignment) if he doesn’t produce. This seems like purely a depth move for the Snakes as they continue to try and figure out two-thirds of their outfield picture, and a bit of a flier to see what Kepler might have in the tank in his age-33 season. However Kepler might contribute to Arizona’s postseason chase, he is ineligible to participate in this year’s playoffs, as per the terms of PED suspensions.
Astros Notes: Brown, Allen, Ullola
Hunter Brown will make his fourth and possibly final minor league rehab start on Wednesday, Astros manager Joe Espada told the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara and other reporters yesterday. Brown will pitch for Triple-A Sugar Land for the third time during his rehab assignment, with the first of his four outings coming with Double-A Corpus Christi on May 24.
As expected, Brown’s pitch count has slowly increased with each start, going from 35 to 44 to 57. Espada had previously hinted that the Astros could activate Brown after just three rehab outings, though an earlier return probably would’ve required the use of a piggyback pitcher behind Brown if he was limited to something in the realm of 70 pitches. As such, the right-hander will get a bit more time to fully build his arm strength before returning from the 60-day injured list.
Brown emerged as the ace of Houston’s rotation in 2025 and hit the ground running this year with an 0.84 ERA over his first two starts. A Grade 2 shoulder strain then sent Brown to the IL in one of the first of what has been many major injury blows to the Astros roster. Brown is one of seven pitchers and 10 overall players still on Houston’s injured list, so it isn’t any surprise that the Astros have a 30-37 record.
That said, the Astros have gone 13-9 in their last 22 games, as the team has gotten a little healthier. Yordan Alvarez‘s MVP-level numbers have helped carry the lineup, while Spencer Arrighetti, Peter Lambert, and Kai-Wei Teng have all pitched well in filling in the many holes in the rotation. An in-form Brown returning to the top of that rotation would be another major boost to the Astros’ chances of digging themselves out of their early-season hole.
Just as Brown is getting nearer a return, however, yet another player is facing an injury scare. Nick Allen made an early exit from today’s 5-0 loss to the Athletics due to left hamstring discomfort, since arose after the infielder singled in the third inning. “I was trying to leg out a double there and kind of felt something grab on me, a little bit on the left hammy, lower left side,” Allen told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and other reporters.
Allen said he’ll undergo testing to determine the extent of the injury but downplayed the seriousness of the discomfort. The backup infielder already missed a couple of weeks earlier this year dealing with back spasms, but Allen has already played in 37 games this season, as the Astros’ various injuries opened the door for playing time at second base, third base, and shortstop. Allen is providing his usual light offense (.266/.304/.344 in 70 plate appearances) and his glovework isn’t quite up to its usual stellar standard, but Allen has been a useful depth piece for the shorthanded roster.
In another piece from McTaggart, he notes that the Astros have transitioned pitching prospect Miguel Ullola into a full-time relief role. Ullola is a classic case of a pitcher with great stuff that he hasn’t been able to harness — over 471 2/3 career innings in the minors, Ullola has an impressive 30.54% strikeout rate but also a 15.75% walk rate, resulting in an uninspiring 4.45 ERA.
Ullola doesn’t turn 24 until later this month so it is possible he might get another look as a starter down the road. But after six seasons of inconsistency, “you start narrowing it down when they get to Triple-A,” Espada said. “He’s started [86] games already, so now we start getting a better feel for what he’s going to be and how can impact our roster.”
Houston added Ullola to the 40-man roster last November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and the move to the bullpen might be the final step in getting the right-hander to the majors. Ullola was charged with three runs over two-third of an inning today, but he hadn’t allowed a run in his previous five relief innings. As usual, switching to relief pitching has delivered a velocity bump, as Ullola’s already plus fastball has touched 97.3mph since going to the pen.
Jameson Taillon Leaves Game Due To Hamstring Strain
Jameson Taillon‘s start tonight was cut short in the second inning, as the right-hander was removed due to what the Cubs later revealed as a left hamstring strain. Taillon allowed a run on a walk and two hits in his first inning against the Giants, but after walking Matt Chapman to lead off the second inning, Taillon requested a visit from the team trainer and then left the mound.
More will be known about Taillon’s status when manager Craig Counsell meets with the media postgame, but it isn’t a good sign that Taillon’s injury has already been termed as a strain. A trip to the 15-day injured list might be inevitable, though a lower-grade strain might see Taillon return in a fairly minimal amount of time.
Taillon has a 5.19 ERA over 67 2/3 innings, and a league-leading 20 home runs is the root cause of his struggles. While Taillon has never been great at keeping the ball in the park, this season’s spike in homer rate is eye-opening. Taillon’s hard-hit ball rate is actually around league average, yet his dismal 14.5% barrel rate indicates that opposing batters are maximizing the damage when squaring up against the righty’s offerings.
As much as the results haven’t been there for the 34-year-old, he has at least been able to take the ball for 13 starts, providing the Cubs with some innings in an injury-ravaged year for the team’s pitching staff. Now it seems like Taillon may be the latest Wrigleyville hurler bit by the injury bug, just after Edward Cabrera was activated from the 15-day IL on Friday and Matthew Boyd may be just days away from returning from left meniscus surgery.
Cade Horton was also lost to a Tommy John surgery and Justin Steele‘s return from a TJ surgery has been delayed until some time in the second half of the season. Despite all these rotation ailments, the bullpen has perhaps been hit even harder by a variety of major and minor injuries, leaving the Cubs scrambling for arms basically since Opening Day. The Cubs overcame their lack of healthy and effective pitching to go 27-12 in their first 39 games, but they’ve since lost 19 of their last 26 games heading into tonight’s matchup with San Francisco.
Monday’s off-day provides some chance for a rotation reset, and perhaps a chance for Taillon to undergo further evaluation on his hamstring strain. Chicago’s rotation currently consists of Shota Imanaga, Colin Rea, Ben Brown, Cabrera, and possibly Boyd taking Taillon’s place if Boyd doesn’t require a third rehab start. Javier Assad could be a candidate to be a stretched out for rotation work as well, should Boyd need more ramp-up time.
Athletics Interested In Kris Bubic
Royals left-hander Kris Bubic is a player of interest for the Athletics in advance of the trade deadline, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. Bubic is a free agent after the season, and thus a logical trade candidate if the 27-39 Royals can’t get back into contention.
The first order of business is Bubic’s health, as the southpaw hasn’t pitched since May 14 due to soreness in his throwing elbow. Bubic downplayed the severity of the problem at the time of his placement on the 15-day injured list, and while he is already beyond the 15-day minimum, he has been throwing bullpen sessions and seems to be on track with a standard throwing progression.
Any sort of elbow issue is of particular concern given Bubic’s injury history, as he has pitched only 213 innings since the start of the 2023 season due to a Tommy John surgery and a rotator cuff strain. After the TJ procedure shelved Bubic for most of the 2023-24 seasons, he returned to the rotation in great form and earned an All-Star nod last year before the rotator cuff issue prematurely ended his season in late July.
Things haven’t gone quite as smoothly in Bubic’s latest return to action, as he posted a 4.11 ERA over his first nine starts and 50 1/3 innings of the 2026 campaign. Bubic is still striking out a decent number of batters, but his 12.6% walk rate is well above his previous career average of 9.4%. Batters are also chasing Bubic’s pitches far less than they did in 2025, and having a lot more success against both his sweeper and his low-90’s fastball.
Still, even if Bubic projects as more of a mid-rotation or even a back-end starter than a frontline arm, that still makes him a valuable rental commodity. Bubic has roughly $3.88MM remaining on his $6.15MM salary, so he is a fit in any team’s budget. Assuming Bubic is back in Kansas City’s rotation within a couple of weeks, the A’s and plenty of other teams figure to be scouting the veteran’s readiness in the lead-up to the August 3 trade deadline.
There is so much parity given the American League that it may take well over a month for most teams to fall within “buyer” and “seller” categories, and naturally several teams might do a bit of both. At 31-34, the Athletics aren’t that far ahead of the Royals in the standings, so there’s no guarantee the West Sacramento club will still be in buyer mode once the deadline rolls around.
If the A’s do remain in the hunt, rotation help is an obvious need. Today’s 5-0 shutout of the Astros was a rare gem for a pitching staff that entered Sunday’s action with a collective 4.66 ERA, ranking 26th of 30 teams. Injuries to Luis Severino and Aaron Civale further thinned what was already a shaky rotation to begin with, and a move to acquire Bubic (or another prominent starter) for immediate help doesn’t seem likely since the Royals are probably still hoping to turn their season around.
The Athletics’ current starting five consists of Jeffrey Springs, J.T. Ginn, Jack Perkins (who has 70 2/3 MLB innings to his name) and two rookies in Gage Jump and Kade Morris. The highly-touted Jump tossed 6 1/3 shutout frames today and has a 2.45 ERA over his first 13 1/3 innings, but the A’s may not want to lean too hard on the idea of Jump keeping up this production throughout a playoff race.
Sutter Health Park has proven to be a daunting challenge for most starting pitchers, but Bubic could be a decent fit for the hitter-friendly venue. Bubic has done a good job at keeping the ball in the park over his last four seasons, though naturally pitching at Kauffman Stadium has helped him in the regard. Bubic has a 45.7% grounder rate over his career, with this season’s 43.8% number a little below that norm.
Giants Release Ryan Borucki
TODAY: The Giants have released Borucki, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. Borucki is now a free agent and free to sign with any club.
May 31: The Giants have designated left-hander Ryan Borucki for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Jonah Cox from Double-A Richmond, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser. Outfielder Will Brennan has also been optioned to Triple-A, with righty Tristan Beck recalled in his place.
After being cut by the White Sox near the end of Spring Training, Borucki quickly caught on with the Giants on a big league contract. The results haven’t been there for Borucki in his ninth MLB season, as the southpaw has a 4.94 ERA, 14.4% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate across 23 2/3 relief innings. Just when it seemed like Borucki was getting on track after a shaky start to the season, he gave up five earned runs over his last three outings and 5 1/3 innings of work.
As usual, Borucki has drastic splits, as left-handed batters have only a .550 OPS against him this season (while righty batters have a whopping 1.085 OPS). A team in need of southpaw relief help could be inclined to claim Borucki off San Francisco’s waiver wire, but the likelier scenario is that he’ll clear waivers and then be outrighted to Triple-A. Borucki has been outrighted in the past, so he can elect free agency rather than accept that assignment.
The 24-year-old Cox will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game, and Cox will get his first taste of the Show before even getting a look at the Triple-A level. It seems like Cox’s superb performance in Richmond couldn’t be ignored, as Cox is hitting .400/.453/.644 with six home runs and 27 steals (in 34 attempts) over 183 Double-A plate appearances.
Cox has never posted anything close to these numbers in his previous three minor league seasons, and he is surely getting a lot of help from an eye-opening .464 BABIP. That said, Cox’s elite speed has helped him generate large BABIPs in the past, and he has drastically cut back on his strikeout rate to 16.9% in Double-A ball.
The bat has been the only question mark about Cox’s game, as his defense and speed were already seen as ready for primetime. Those plus skills alone make Cox a viable bench piece for the Giants and perhaps a platoon partner for Drew Gilbert in center field, even if there’s bound to be a learning curve as Cox makes the big jump from facing Double-A pitching to big league arms. The Giants rank last in baseball in stolen bases, so Cox should provide an immediate boost on the basepaths.
Baseball America ranks Cox 21st on their list of Giants prospects. Cox was a sixth-round pick for the Athletics in the 2023 draft, and he was dealt to San Francisco in the February 2024 trade that sent Ross Stripling to the A’s.
Twins Recall Royce Lewis, Designate James Outman
Royce Lewis is back in the majors, as the Twins announced that the infielder has been called up from Triple-A St. Paul. Outfielder James Outman was designated for assignment in the corresponding move, so Minnesota now has an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Lewis’ ugly .163/.261/.279 slash line over his first 119 plate appearances of the season was enough to convince the Twins that the former first overall pick needed a tune-up, so Lewis was optioned to St. Paul on May 19. The move has apparently worked, as Lewis’ bat has come to life against minor league pitching. Between the 13 games since his demotion and two rehab games earlier this season, Lewis has hit .333/.403/.900 in 67 PA at the Triple-A level, with a whopping 10 homers in that small sample size.
Obviously this kind of Ruthian production isn’t going to continue against MLB pitching, yet it does indicate that Lewis may have at least regained some confidence at the plate, in addition to any mechanical changes worked out with the Triple-A coaching staff. While injuries have been the dominant storyline of Lewis’ Major League career, he hasn’t been a particularly effective hitter since what seemed to be a breakout 2023 season, as Lewis has hit just .225/.285/.398 over 847 PA since Opening Day 2024.
The other interesting element to Lewis’ time in the minors has been some time spent at first and second base, in addition to his usual third base spot. It remains to be seen where Lewis will play upon his return to the majors, as Brooks Lee was moved from shortstop to third base in Lewis’ absence, with Tristan Gray getting most of the looks at shortstop.
Neither player is hitting well enough to have laid a real claim to either position, so it could be that Gray is returned to bench duty and the Twins revert to their normal infield alignment. Outman’s DFA leaves utilitymen Kody Clemens and Ryan Kreidler as the backup outfield options on the 26-man roster, so Clemens could get more time in the outfield if Lewis gets some looks as a first baseman.
Minnesota acquired Outman from the Dodgers for Brock Stewart at last year’s trade deadline, and the change of scenery didn’t help Outman regain any of the hitting prowess he showed early in his big league career. Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs for the Dodgers over 567 PA in 2023, but he has since batted .144/.235/.284 over his last 374 PA against MLB pitching. Those lowly numbers include a .156/.229/.250 slash in 70 PA this season as a backup outfielder.
This is the first time Outman has been designated for assignment, and he has less than three years of MLB service time. As such, he will have to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers or isn’t traded since the DFA period. Outman has some speed and he can play all three outfield positions, yet his offense has been so lackluster that he’ll probably clear waivers and remain in Minnesota’s organization.
Astros Release Anthony Maldonado
The Astros released Anthony Maldonado, according to the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Maldonado signed a minor league contract with Houston back in November, and will now head elsewhere without logging any time on the team’s active roster.
Over 22 relief innings at Triple-A Sugar Land, Maldonado posted a 2.87 ERA with only one home run allowed. This ability to keep the ball in the park is a marked improvement after Maldonado struggled with homers during his previous two minor league seasons, yet a .200 BABIP is the larger reason for Maldonado’s impressive ERA. A garish 17.4% walk rate is the larger issue, and the righty’s 21.7% strikeout rate is also far below Maldonado’s previous K-rates at the Triple-A level.
Maldonado made his MLB debut with Miami in 2024, and he has a 7.20 ERA over 25 career innings in the Show with the Marlins and Athletics. The West Sacramento team outrighted Maldonado after last season and he elected free agency, as was his right as a player who had previously been outrighted in his career.
Latest On Hunter Greene
Hunter Greene underwent surgery in March to remove bone chips from his right elbow, and the right-hander wasn’t expected to make his 2026 debut until July. Reds manager Terry Francona shed some light on Greene’s progress today, telling media (including Charlie Goldsmith and MLB.com) that the hope is that Greene will be activated from the 60-day injured list before the All-Star break.
The next step will come Monday when Greene is slated to throw a live batting practice session. He has already thrown multiple bullpens, and if all goes well, a minor league rehab assignment doesn’t seem too far off. Greene will surely need at least four minor league outings to fully build his arm strength after such a long absence, yet that would still line the former All-Star up for a return in the early part of July.
Greene’s return can’t come soon enough for a Reds team that has fallen to a .500 record (31-31). Cincinnati started the season with both Greene and Nick Lodolo on the injured list, yet still held a 20-11 record at the end of April. Unfortunately, the Reds then started May with an eight-game losing streak, beginning a spiral that has now put Cincinnati at the bottom of the competitive NL Central.
The Reds’ lineup and bullpen each have plenty of holes, and the rotation hasn’t fared much better since Chase Burns has been the only starter to post consistent results. Lodolo has struggled since his return from the IL, and the starting five took another hit when Rhett Lowder was sidelined due to shoulder problems. Lowder is expected to be activated from the 15-day IL tomorrow to start the Reds’ game with the Cardinals.
Durability remains a question for Greene, as the right-hander has spent at least five weeks on the IL in each of his first five Major League seasons. Over the last two years, however, Greene has looked like a frontline ace when healthy, posting a 2.76 ERA, 29.2% strikeout rate, and 8.1% walk rate over 258 innings since Opening Day 2024. This breakout came after the Reds had already cemented Greene as a cornerstone piece by signing the righty to a six-year, $53MM extension in April 2023.
In some other positive injury news for the Reds, Francona told reporters (including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that Elly De La Cruz‘s next MRI is now scheduled for June 12, instead of the initial June 15 date. The earlier date reflects the progress De La Cruz has already made in his recovery from the hamstring strain that sent him to the 10-day IL last Monday. De La Cruz’s rehab period was initially estimated at 2-to-4 weeks, and it looks like he might be able to return to action on closer to the early end of that timeline.
Mariners Unlikely To Trade From Top Five In Rotation
Despite countless rumors over the years, the Mariners have long been resistant to the idea of trading from their strong rotation. The stance looks to continue at this year’s deadline, as Adam Jude of the Seattle Times writes that the M’s “have given no indication they are willing to move any of their top five starting pitchers this summer.” That being said, Jude speculates that “come July…Luis Castillo’s name figures to resurface in trade chatter.”
The caveat underlines the fact that Castillo is simply no longer viewed as one of the Mariners’ best rotation options. This was reflected when Castillo was twice used as a piggyback starter behind Bryce Miller once Miller returned from a season-opening stint on the 15-day injured list. Emerson Hancock pitched so well in Miller’s regular rotation spot that the M’s kept him on a regular turn, and instead opted for the piggyback strategy on a temporary basis. This didn’t entirely sit well with Miller or Castillo, but the Mariners then moved to a six-man rotation that they’ll employ until the middle of June, once the club is through a busy stretch of the schedule.
It remains to be seen how the M’s will re-adjust back to a five-man rotation at that point, particularly since Castillo has looked a little more like his old self after a rough start to the season. Castillo has allowed one earned run over his last nine innings of work, though his ERA still sits at 5.53 over 55 1/3 total frames. Castillo’s 4.08 SIERA is much more palatable and his walk and strikeout rates are around league average, but the veteran right-hander has also allowed a ton of hard contact.
Most teams would be more than satisfied with this sort of production from a back-end starter, yet Seattle is in the enviable position of having too many starters for too few rotation slots. Beyond Hancock’s breakout, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Bryan Woo are all pitching well, and Miller has looked tremendous since his return. If this wasn’t enough starting depth, the M’s have a few starters (i.e. Dane Dunning, Randy Dobnak, Jhonathan Diaz, Casey Lawrence) with MLB experience down at Triple-A Tacoma, plus there has been speculation that top prospect Kade Anderson could go from Double-A to the majors before 2026 is over.
Dipping too far down the depth chart has never held much appeal for the Mariners, however, though Hancock’s emergence has been a big help on that front. The “you can never have enough pitching” mantra rings especially loudly for a team aiming to make a World Series run, so the M’s would be hesitant to move even Castillo unless they were sure they had enough starting pitching to cover a lot of extra postseason innings.
Castillo’s contract is another reason why the veteran has been the starter the Mariners have at least been open to moving, even as rival teams have surely asked more about the younger and more controllable arms. Castillo is owed roughly $14.6MM for the remainder of the 2026 season, $22.75MM in 2027, and a $25MM option for 2028 will vest if Castillo pitches at least 180 innings in 2027 and finishes the season healthy.
The no-trade protection that existed in Castillo’s extension is now up, so he can be dealt without his approval. That removes one potential obstacle to a deal, though the price tag remains steep for a 33-year-old pitcher who might be a mid-rotation starter at best at this stage of his career. Seattle probably doesn’t have interest in eating much or any of Castillo’s salary, and trading Castillo for another player with a hefty contract only has limited appeal, unless the M’s felt this hypothetical player would help will another need (probably on offense).
Orioles Designate Weston Wilson, Select Sam Huff
The Orioles announced that utilityman Weston Wilson has been designated for assignment. Taking Wilson’s place on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters is catcher Sam Huff, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Norfolk.
Huff’s arrival is related to the availability of Samuel Basallo, who made an early exit from Friday’s game due to what the team described as abdominal discomfort. The injury hasn’t yet been seemed serious enough to warrant a trip to the injured list, but even if Basallo is fine after a day or two of rest and recovery, the Orioles now have Huff on hand as a backup catcher behind Adley Rutschman.
Baltimore signed Huff to a minor league contract during the offseason, and his deal was previously selected to the active roster in April when Rutschman was on the 10-day IL. Huff appeared in three games for the O’s during his week on the 26-man roster before he was DFA’ed, and after Huff chose free agency over an outright assignment, he quickly re-signed with the Orioles on a fresh minors contract.
Should Basallo’s abdominal issue prove to be a short-term concern, it is very possible Huff will face another DFA within the next few days. Wilson is also no stranger to the DFA cycle, as he was designated and then outrighted off Baltimore’s 40-man roster last February, just a couple of weeks after the Orioles claimed him from the Phillies’ waiver wire. This past outright means that Wilson also has the ability to elect free agency over an outright assignment, assuming he clears waivers this time around.
Wilson’s contract was selected to the active roster on April 13, but he has seen only sporadic action in a backup role. Wilson has hit .231/.348/.333 in 46 plate appearances over 19 games, playing mostly at third base with one game in the outfield and three mop-up outings as a pitcher.
Now a veteran of the last four MLB seasons, Wilson has a .240/.331/.413 slash line over 291 career PA with the Orioles and Phillies. Wilson also has a good deal of experience at first and second base plus some work at the other two outfield positions, so he offers some versatility to any team looking to add bench depth on a waiver add.