Astros Claim Dustin Harris, Designate J.P. France For Assignment
The Astros announced that outfielder Dustin Harris was claimed off waivers from the White Sox. To create space for Harris on Houston’s 40-man roster, right-hander J.P. France was designated for assignment, as reported by The Athletic’s Chandler Rome shortly before the team’s official announcement.
Houston has 10 pitchers on the injured list, so it is a little surprising to see the team part ways with France when he has a minor league option remaining. Lack of pitching depth aside, however, France didn’t do much to hang onto his spot by posting an 8.10 ERA over 6 2/3 innings and three appearances for the Astros this season. The Astros also already designated France and subsequently outrighted him off the 40-man roster back in February, before selecting his contract again on April 10 when Cristian Javier went on the IL with a grade 2 shoulder strain.
Because of that past outright, France has the ability to elect free agency if he clears waivers again. Given how he wasn’t claimed last time around and he hasn’t done much to improve his stock since Opening Day, France may well clear waivers and then decide on either testing the open market or accepting another outright to Triple-A. Given how the Astros are in such dire need of pitching, France might feel comfortable biding his time in the minors until Houston gives him another look.
France has spent his entire career in the Astros organization, beginning as a 14th-round pick in the 2018 draft. He broke into the majors with a solid 3.83 ERA over 136 1/3 innings and 24 games (23 of them starts) in 2023, but has since delivered a 7.00 ERA over only 36 big league frames, as shoulder problems sidelined France for the bulk of the 2024-25 seasons.
Beyond all of Houston’s pitching injuries, the loss of Jake Meyers (oblique strain) and Zach Dezenzo (right elbow sprain) also depleted what was already a thin outfield picture. Harris can provide some depth given his experience at all three outfield positions, and his left-handed bat adds some balance to a very right-handed Astros roster. However, fellow outfielders Joey Loperfido and Taylor Trammell are two of the three other lefty swingers on the 26-man, leaving Harris a bit of an imperfect fit in terms of platoon work.
Harris has played in each of the last three MLB seasons, hitting .224/.318/.414 with two homers over 66 plate appearances and 27 games for the Rangers and White Sox. After being outrighted off the Texas roster in November, Harris elected free agency and signed with the Sox on a minor league deal. Chicago selected Harris to the 26-man on April 7 and he got into six games for the team before being DFA’ed earlier this week.
NL West Notes: Susac, Bailey, Freeland, Dollander, Ryan
Daniel Susac went 2-for-5 in the Giants‘ 10-5 win over the Nationals yesterday, as the catcher is now hitting an absurd .524/.545/.714 over the first 22 plate appearances of his Major League career. Susac was a Rule 5 Draft pick initially from the Athletics organization before he was taken by the Twins and then immediately dealt to the Giants.
A big Spring Training performance clinched Susac’s roster spot and a role as Patrick Bailey‘s backup, yet Susac’s dream start is earning him more playing time, with starts in three of San Francisco’s last five games. On Thursday, Giants manager Tony Vitello told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser and other reporters that the team intends on “involving [Susac] as much as possible, see if we get into an every other day situation, or whatever it might be.”
Bailey has never shown much at the plate over his four MLB seasons, but he is off to a particularly ugly start by hitting only .128/.180/.128 in 50 PA. While Bailey’s elite defense has been reason enough to earn him starting catcher duties in the past, the Giants’ offense has struggled so much (Friday notwithstanding) that the club has nothing to lose by riding the hot hand in Susac.
More from around the NL West…
- Kyle Freeland‘s MRI on his inflamed left shoulder didn’t reveal any structural damage, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders and other reporters. Freeland was retroactively played on the 15-day injured list on April 13, and the good diagnosis means that the veteran southpaw likely won’t miss too much time. The injury interrupted Freeland’s strong start to the season, as he had a 2.30 ERA over his first three outings.
- Chase Dollander is another Rockies pitcher getting good early results, as the former third overall pick has a 3.32 ERA, 28.7% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over 19 innings. Dollander has yet to start any of his five appearances, however, and Schaeffer told Saunders and company that Dollander will continue pitching behind an opener for the time being. The manager’s logic is simple: Dollander is “having a lot of success” as a bulk pitcher. “He’s settled into a routine, and routines are very different from being in the bullpen and starting. Obviously, we want him to be a starter, long-term. But right now we don’t want to mess with the routine,” Schaeffer said.
- The Dodgers‘ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City placed River Ryan on the seven-day injured list yesterday, and Jack Harris of the California Post indicated that the placement is likely due to a hamstring injury. Ryan posted a 1.33 ERA over his first 20 1/3 MLB innings in 2024, but a Tommy John surgery in August of that year sidelined the right-hander for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Returning to action with Oklahoma City this year, Ryan’s excellent peripherals and a .450 BABIP over seven innings of work indicate that he has pitched much better than his 5.14 ERA would imply. The IL stint will delay his eventual return to Los Angeles in what will probably be a bullpen role, as there isn’t room for Ryan even in a six-man Dodgers rotation if everyone is healthy.
Cubs Select Corbin Martin’s Contract
11:39PM: The Cubs officially announced Martin’s selection and Horton’s move to the 60-day IL.
11:04AM: The Cubs will select the contract of right-hander Corbin Martin prior to today’s game with the Mets, The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney reports. Cade Horton (who underwent Tommy John surgery yesterday) will be moved to the 60-day injured list to open up a 40-man roster spot for Martin, and the Cubs already had an open spot on their active roster after Daniel Palencia was placed on the 15-day IL yesterday.
Horton and Palencia are two of a whopping 10 pitchers on Chicago’s injured list, leaving the Cubs scrambling for extra arms. The situation has given Martin a path back to the majors after the righty signed a minor league deal back in January.
Martin is himself no stranger to injuries, as he missed the entirety of the 2020 season due to a TJ surgery and all of 2023 recovering from a lat tendon surgery. In the wake of the latter procedure, Martin spent all of 2024 in the minors before making his return to the Show to post a 6.00 ERA over 18 innings with the Orioles last season.
Over parts of four MLB seasons, Martin has a 6.54 ERA, 20.7% strikeout rate, and 12.8% walk rate across 75 2/3 innings with the Astros, Diamondbacks, and Orioles. Since his lat surgery, Martin has worked almost exclusively as a relief pitcher, but the role change hasn’t helped alleviate the control problems that have plagued Martin for much of his career.
Martin is out of minor league options, so Chicago would have to designate the righty for assignment and expose him to waivers before trying to send him back down to Triple-A via an outright. Given how the Cubs are hurting for pitching, Martin probably won’t be DFA’ed any time soon if he can provide decent results and eat a few innings out of the pen.
Mets Place Jorge Polanco On 10-Day Injured List
The Mets announced that infielder Jorge Polanco has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 15) due to a right wrist contusion. Catcher Hayden Senger was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and Senger is already on New York’s 40-man roster.
The wrist issue is a new injury for Polanco, who has been bothered by left Achilles soreness for most of the season. Polanco hasn’t played since Tuesday, and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told the New York Post’s Mike Puma and other reporters that Polanco underwent an MRI on Thursday. The results of that MRI weren’t yet known yesterday, though the fact that Polanco’s IL placement is officially termed as just a contusion probably indicates that the MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage.
It could be that between Polanco’s wrist and Achilles problems, the Mets decided it was simply time to give the veteran a full recuperation period, as well as basically a reset to his 2026 season. After signing a two-year, $40MM free agent deal this past winter, Polanco has hit only .179/.246/.286 over his first 61 plate appearances in a Mets uniform. The Amazins’ plan was to use Polanco primarily as a first baseman, but he has played only two games in the field and the rest at DH due to his Achilles discomfort.
Polanco is far from the only struggling Mets player, as Friday’s 12-4 loss to the Cubs extended New York’s losing streak to nine games. Francisco Alvarez and (to a lesser extent) Luis Robert Jr. are the only Mets regulars hitting well in the early going, as Juan Soto‘s hot start was cut short by an IL stint due to a calf strain.
The lack of offense could be why the Mets called up Senger, even though Alvarez and Luis Torrens are already on hand as the catching core. Having a third catcher allows Alvarez to remain in the lineup on an everyday basis as either the catcher or the DH, and plus Senger is himself hitting .257/.316/.714 with five homers in only 38 PA for Triple-A Syracuse.
Even with this huge power surge, Senger’s career Triple-A slash line is still a modest .238/.295/.397 over 408 PA with Syracuse. The 29-year-old made his Major League debut in 2025, and hit .181/.221/.194 in 78 PA over 33 games with the Mets.
Blue Jays Place Lazaro Estrada On 15-Day Injured List
The Blue Jays placed right-hander Lazaro Estrada on the 15-day injured list due to an impingement in his throwing shoulder. The placement is retroactive to April 5, which was the day the Jays optioned Estrada to Triple-A. As Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi explains, Estrada’s injury was discovered to have occurred when he was on the active roster, and as such Estrada has been placed on the big league version of the IL.
The transaction means that Estrada logs some extra MLB service time, which is no small matter for a player who entered the season with only four days’ worth of service time. Estrada made his big league debut in 2025, posting an 8.59 ERA over 7 1/3 innings and two appearances for Toronto. The righty only got into one game this season, but Estrada looked much sharper in tossing four shutout innings against the White Sox on April 4, issuing just two walks in the long relief appearance.
Estrada (who turns 27 later this week) began his pro career as an international signing in 2018 and has spent his entire career in the Jays organization. He didn’t reach Triple-A until 2025 and Estrada then posted a 5.73 ERA over 97 1/3 innings for Buffalo, though a .331 BABIP somewhat inflated Estrada’s ERA. Working mostly as a starter in the minors, Estrada is viewed as a long reliever or depth arm at best as a big league option.
Estrada now becomes the seventh pitcher and 11th player overall on Toronto’s big league injured list, as the Jays have been hammered by injuries in the early part of the 2026 season. The health woes may not be over yet, as Daulton Varsho left yesterday’s 6-3 loss to the Diamondbacks due to left knee discomfort. Varsho’s issue is considered minor enough for now that an MRI isn’t being planned (as per MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson), yet losing Varsho even on a day-to-day basis is another hit to the Blue Jays lineup.
Phil Garner Passes Away
Former three-time All-Star and longtime manager Phil Garner passed away on Saturday at age 76. A statement released by Garner’s family praised the medical care given to Garner during his fight with pancreatic cancer, and said that “Phil never lost his signature spark of life he was so well known for or his love for baseball which was with him until the end.”
Debuting with the Athletics in 1973, Garner hit .260/.323/.389 over 6136 plate appearances and 1860 games with the A’s, Pirates, Astros, Dodgers, and Giants during his 16-year career as a big league player. He became Oakland’s everyday second baseman in 1975 and received his first All-Star nod in 1976, but he was dealt after that season as part of a nine-player trade with the Pirates.
Garner played both second and third base (with some appearances at shortstop) during his four-plus years in Pittsburgh. His best season in terms of both personal and team accomplishments came in 1979, when Garner had a career-best 3.9 fWAR while hitting .293/.359/.441 with 11 homers and 17 steals for the Pirates’ World Series-winning team, which remains the last Buccos club to win a championship. Garner was a huge part of that title run, delivering a phenomenal .472/.537/.722 slash line over 41 PA during the postseason.
The Pirates traded Garner to the Astros partway through the 1981 campaign, and he went on to have several more successful years in a Houston uniform before his production declined in 1987. The Dodgers acquired Garner in a trade partway through the 1987 campaign but the change of scenery didn’t spark his bat, and Garner then played 15 games with the Giants over his final year as a player.
Garner’s gritty and grinding playing style made him a fan favorite, and perhaps all you need to know about Garner is that he was known as “Scrap Iron,” a nickname coined by former Pirates announcer Milo Hamilton. The blunt and tough-but-fair approach stuck with Garner in his post-playing days, as he went onto a successful second career as a manager over 15 seasons with the Brewers, Tigers, and back in Houston with the Astros.
As a skipper, Garner posted a 985-1054 career record, beginning with a 92-win season as Milwaukee’s manager in 1992. This was the only winning record Garner would post in eight seasons with the Brewers and three seasons in Detroit (from 2000-02), but he broke through in 2004 after being hired to take over an Astros team that had a 44-44 record.
Houston went 48-26 the rest of the way under Garner, and fell just short of a World Series appearance after losing the NLCS to the Cardinals in a memorable seven-game battle. The Astros beat St. Louis in a rematch the next season for the first pennant in Houston franchise history, though the Astros were swept by the White Sox in the World Series.
We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to Garner’s family, friends, and many fans.
NL East Notes: Strider, Moore, Cannarella
Spencer Strider threw a live batting practice session yesterday at Truist Park, and the Braves right-hander is now set to begin a minor league rehab assignment. Manager Walt Weiss indicated to reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) that Strider will throw 40-45 pitches in a minor league game on Thursday, with likely two more rehab outings after that. “He’s on the right path but with starters, it takes time,” Weiss said. “We’ve got to build him back up now, so that’s probably going to take the rest of the month.”
An oblique strain sent Strider to the 15-day IL just prior to Opening Day. If Strider is able to return by the first week of May, missing “only” five weeks isn’t a bad outcome considering the unpredictable nature of oblique injuries. It also helps that the Braves have thus far impressively managed their lack of rotation depth, as Martin Perez and Bryce Elder have each been terrific in filling for Strider and Atlanta’s other injured starters.
More items from the NL East…
- Back in March, Dylan Moore utilized the opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Phillies, and the team quickly signed him to a guaranteed contract to finalize Moore’s spot on the Opening Day roster. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb has some details on Moore’s deal, as the utilityman will earn $1.45MM in guaranteed money, with a $100K bonus unlocked for every 100 plate appearances (up to 400 PA). As per the terms of Moore’s original minors deal, Gelb writes that Moore was set to earn $1.85M if he’d made Philadelphia’s active roster. It seemed like the new agreement was made so the Phillies could save a bit of money while still retaining Moore, and the veteran may have been willing to forego some of his guarantee in order to ensure he broke camp. Moore hasn’t seen much action yet, with only seven PA over five games.
- Marlins prospect Cam Cannarella will miss roughly the next 6-8 weeks after suffering a broken wrist from a collision in the outfield, according to Fish On First’s X feed devoted to Miami’s farm system. The 43rd overall pick of the 2025 draft had an impressive 1.019 OPS over his first 25 PA for A-level Beloit this season, but Cannarella’s second pro season will now be put on hold. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each rate Cannarella as the eighth-best prospect in the Marlins’ system, praising his excellent center field glovework and solid contact hitting.
NL West Notes: Tatis, Arraez, Hentges, Snell, Edman
Fernando Tatis Jr. was 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in yesterday’s 9-5 Padres win over the Rockies, but the most notable aspect of Tatis’ game was his role as San Diego’s starting second baseman. It was just Tatis’ second career big league game at second base and his first start at the position, and the move came about since shortstop Xander Bogaerts had a day off. “We felt like Tatis was the best option at second base, and the most fun and exciting option at second base,” manager Craig Stammen told The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and other reporters, as the Padres look for ways to juggle their lineup, find at-bats for everyone, and keep their players fresh.
Needless to say, Tatis isn’t leaving his regular right field spot any time soon, but getting the odd game in at the keystone can add to his already high defensive value. Stammen also suggested that the position change might get Tatis rolling after a slow start at the plate, and Tatis’ three-hit night indicates that the tactic may have worked.
More from around the NL West…
- X-rays were negative on Luis Arraez‘s right wrist after the Giants second baseman was removed from yesterday’s game. An unusual play at second base saw Dylan Beavers accidentally kick Arraez in the hand while trying to avoid a tag in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Arraez was removed before the bottom of the fifth. Arraez is day-to-day for now, and since the Giants don’t play on Monday, it seems likely that he’ll be held out of today’s lineup to get two full days of recuperation. After signing a one-year, $12MM free agent deal with San Francisco, Arraez is off to a nice start with his new team, hitting .304/.339/.393 over his first 63 plate appearances.
- Sam Hentges also joined the Giants on a one-year, $1.4MM deal this offseason, and the reliever looks to finally be nearing his first game action of any kind since August 2024, as the A-level San Jose Giants announced that Hentges is joining the team on a rehab assignment. Hentges posted a 2.93 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over 138 innings out of the Guardians’ pen in 2022-24, but his career was then put on hold by a shoulder surgery in September 2024, and then an arthroscopic right knee surgery last September. The left-hander’s rehab assignment figures to be pretty lengthy given how long Hentges has been sidelined, but he could be an intriguing x-factor in San Francisco’s bullpen when healthy.
- Blake Snell threw a 15-pitch simulated inning yesterday, facing live batters for the first time since Game 7 of the World Series. Snell began the season on the Dodgers‘ 15-day injured list due to shoulder fatigue, and he said a month ago following his first Spring Training bullpen session that he was aiming to make his season debut before the end of April. That timeline might be delayed slightly, as manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Courtney Hollmon and other reporters that the team wants to see Snell built up in throwing sessions to the equivalent of four innings before Snell goes on a rehab assignment.
- Tommy Edman was one of the batters at the plate during Snell’s sim inning, which also marked the first time Edman had faced live pitching since he underwent ankle surgery last November. Edman began the season on the 10-day injured list but Roberts told Hollmon and company that the Dodgers aren’t expecting Edman back until closer to the end of May since he is “not at full speed” yet in terms of running. The timing means that Edman could be shifted to the 60-day IL at some point if Los Angeles needs a 40-man roster spot, though that decision won’t be made until Edman is deeper into the recovery process.
Orioles Place Tyler O’Neill On Concussion-Related IL
The Orioles announced that outfielder Tyler O’Neill has been placed on the seven-day injured list for concussion-related injuries, retroactive to April 9. Outfielder Johnathan Rodriguez was called up from Triple-A to take O’Neill’s spot on the active roster.
O’Neill was scratched from Friday’s lineup due to illness and he also didn’t play Saturday. Nausea is a common concussion symptom, so it could be that O’Neill’s head issue was initially confused for just a normal sickness. Due to the uncertain nature of concussion symptoms, O’Neill could be feeling fine well before his seven-day stint is over or he might be facing an extended absence.
With 11 other players already on the regular IL, the Orioles can only hope that O’Neill won’t miss much time. Among position players, O’Neill joins Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Heston Kjerstad, and Adley Rutschman on the IL, with Rutschman sidelined yesterday by left ankle inflammation. If that wasn’t enough, Ryan Mountcastle hurt his left foot in last night’s game, and both Mountcastle and Rutschman were slated to undergo MRIs today.
Rodriguez was placed on Baltimore’s medical taxi squad earlier today, seemingly aboard as a replacement for Mountcastle before news surfaced of O’Neill’s IL placement. Acquired from the Guardians a couple of weeks ago, Rodriguez has hit .176/.282/.304 over 117 career plate appearances in the majors, all with Cleveland during the 2024-25 seasons.
The first season of O’Neill’s three-year, $49.5MM contract with the O’s was basically a bust, as he hit only .199/.292/.392 over 209 plate appearances. Neck, wrist, and shoulder injuries limited O’Neill to 54 games, continuing the string of injuries that has plagued the outfielder over his nine Major League seasons. While O’Neill couldn’t continue his streak of Opening Day home runs this year, he was off to a better start in 2026, hitting .241/.353/.345 for a 114 wRC+ over his first 34 PA.
Cubs Place Hunter Harvey On 15-Day Injured List
The Cubs have placed right-hander Hunter Harvey on the 15-day injured list due to right triceps inflammation. Left-hander Charlie Barnes‘ contract was selected from Triple-A to take Harvey’s spot on the active roster, and the final open spot on Chicago’s 40-man roster.
Harvey has a 6.75 ERA over four appearances and four innings, with all of the damage coming on April 3 when he allowed three runs (on homers from Gabriel Arias and Chase DeLauter) in two-thirds of an inning of work in the Cubs’ 4-1 loss for the Guardians. Perhaps in a hint of some lingering injury issues, Harvey only made one more appearance since that game, though he logged a scoreless inning last Wednesday with seemingly no incident.
Injuries have been a primary and unfortunate subplot of Harvey’s pro career, dating back to his time as a prized prospect in the Orioles’ farm system. Selected 22nd overall in the 2013 draft, Harvey didn’t make his MLB debut until 2019, and he didn’t make more than 10 appearances in a season until he logged 38 appearances out of the Nationals’ bullpen in 2022. Since August 2024, Harvey has pitched in just 22 MLB games due to back problems, a teres major strain, an adductor strain, and now this bout of biceps inflammation.
Over the 2022-25 seasons, Harvey posted a 3.07 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate, and 6.5% walk rate, while establishing himself as a pretty solid leverage reliever when healthy. The Cubs rolled the dice on Harvey’s ability to bounce back by signing him to a one-year, $6.5MM free agent deal last winter, and Harvey and the team can only hope that this biceps issue is relatively minor.
Phil Maton was also placed on the IL due to knee tendinitis on Friday, so Chicago is now down two key members of its bullpen within a three-day span. The pitching staff as a whole has been depleted by Cade Horton‘s season-ending UCL surgery and Matthew Boyd‘s IL stint due to a biceps strain, and Colin Rea was moved from the bullpen to the rotation to help bolster the starting five.
Barnes will try to help fill the void as the southpaw prepares for his first taste of the Show since 2021. Over 38 2/3 innings and nine appearances (eight of them starts) for the Twins in 2021, Barnes posted a 5.92 ERA in what remains his only bit of Major League experience. The 30-year-old Clemson product then headed to South Korea and pitched well with the KBO League’s Lotte Giants from 2022-24, but the 2025 season saw Barnes struggle with the Giants and back in North America when pitching in the Reds’ minor league system.
Chicago signed Barnes to a minor league contract in January, and he’ll now return to the majors in what will likely be a long relief role. Barnes has worked mostly as a starter throughout his career, and his ability to eat innings may be helpful to a Cubs team that is still trying to work their way through this spate of pitching injuries.