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Yoshinobu Yamamoto Exits Start With Triceps Tightness

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11:58pm: There is a “high probability” that the Dodgers will place Yamamoto on the 15-day injured list, Roberts told reporters (including DiGiovanna) after the game. Roberts went on to note that he “wasn’t part of that conversation” if Yamamoto spoke to the coaching staff about tightness during warmups prior to the game, adding that there was “no point in time” where Dodgers brass felt he wouldn’t be able to make his start.

11:09pm: Yamamoto told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that his start was pushed back due to the tightness in his triceps. He felt it again while warming up for his start and mentioned it to Dodgers coaches but didn’t think it was “serious enough” to be scratched from his start. DiGiovanna adds that Yamamoto does not believe the issue to be a serious one, although he’s likely to undergo an MRI tomorrow.

8:57pm: Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto exited his start against the Royals tonight after just two innings with what the club referred to as triceps tightness. He was replaced by right-hander Michael Grove to start the third inning. As noted by MLB.com’s Juan Toribio, Yamamoto’s velocity was down throughout his abbreviated outing. The righty’s fastball bottomed out at just 92.9 mph, nearly three ticks below his 95.7 mph average to this point in the season.

The shortened start is particularly notable given the fact that the Dodgers pushed Yamamoto’s start back earlier this week. He was initially scheduled to take the ball against the Rangers on Thursday before his start was moved to tonight’s game against Kansas City. Manager Dave Roberts did not indicate at the time of that announcement that the club had any concerns regarding a possible injury for Yamamoto, instead noting that they were building additional rest into his schedule as he makes the transition from pitching once a week in Nippon Professional Baseball to every five days in MLB.

While the severity of Yamamoto’s injury is not yet clear, it would hardly be a surprise to see the Dodgers opt to place Yamamoto on the 15-day injured list following the game. The 25-year-old hurler was the second most coveted free agent of the past offseason behind only teammate Shohei Ohtani thanks to his youth and immense talent. The sweepstakes for his services ended in late December of last year when he inked a 12-year deal with the Dodgers worth $325MM—a record total for any full-time pitcher. Given L.A.’s significant investment in Yamamoto, it would be understandable for the club to act with an abundance of caution and prioritize the right-hander’s long term health.

Fortunately for the Dodgers, replacing Yamamoto in the rotation should be a relatively seamless endeavor for the club if it ends up being necessary. Right-hander Bobby Miller is scheduled to be reinstated from the injured list this coming Wednesday after missing the past two months with shoulder inflammation. Miller, who sports a 3.90 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 25 starts since he made his big league debut last May, could slot into the club’s rotation alongside Tyler Glasnow, James Paxton, Walker Buehler, and Gavin Stone without any significant hiccups.

Even so, the loss of Yamamoto for any amount of time would be a noteworthy blow. After a difficult start to his major league career against the Padres during the Korea Series where he surrendered five runs while recording just three outs, the right-hander has been nothing short of spectacular. In 71 innings of work across his past 12 starts, Yamamoto has posted a 2.41 ERA with an excellent 28.5% strikeout rate and a walk rate of just 5.3%. Yamamoto has paired those strong ratios with a strong 48.7% groundball rate as well. That type of dominant production is difficult to replace, even for a club that has the second best rotation by ERA in the National League behind only the Phillies.

While details regarding Yamamoto’s injury are currently scarce, it’s worth noting that a significant elbow injury could trigger a clause in his contract that alters the dates of his opt-out opportunities. Yamamoto’s contract reportedly includes opt-out opportunities following the 2029 and ’31 seasons, but if he either undergoes Tommy John surgery or spends at least 134 consecutive days on the IL due to an issue with his right elbow prior to that first opt out in 2029, his chances to opt-out would be delayed until after the 2031 and ’33 seasons.

Astros Notes: Verlander, Rotation, Tucker

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The Astros scratched veteran ace Justin Verlander from his start against the Tigers earlier today due to discomfort in his neck. Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti stepped in to make a spot start in Verlander’s stead, but was shelled for seven runs in just 1 1/3 innings of work before he was removed in the second inning.

Verlander spoke to reporters (including The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) prior to the game this afternoon and indicated that his neck has been bothering him for “a couple of weeks” but that he’s attempted to pitch through it to this point. The pain caused him to cut his usual bullpen between starts short earlier this week, but both Verlander and manager Joe Espada indicated that the issue likely won’t result in a trip to the injured list. As Rome notes, the club has three scheduled days off in the next two weeks that will offer the club the ability to be more flexible regarding Verlander’s schedule in the short term.

That being said, the possibility of Verlander missing time is surely a concerning one for the Astros. After all, the club recently lost both Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier for the season due to Tommy John surgery, and both Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. have spent the entire season on the IL to this point. Neither Garcia nor McCullers are expected back until after the All Star break as things stand; Garcia appears to be closer to a return after throwing a live batting practice last week (per MLB.com’s Injury Tracker) while McCullers threw a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday. Garcia is expected to begin a rehab assignment after “two or three” more live batting practice sessions, while McCullers appears to be “on schedule” for a return sometime in August.

With both Garcia and McCullers more than a month away from contributing, the Astros are limited in terms of internal pitching depth behind their current rotation of Verlander, Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti. J.P. France and Blair Henley are both in the minors on the 40-man roster, but France last pitched on April 30 due to a shoulder injury while Henley allowed five runs in his lone big league start earlier this year while recording just one out. Right-hander Eric Lauer is pitching at Triple-A while on a minor league deal with the club and seems likely to be the top non-roster depth option available to the Astros, although he struggled to a 6.56 ERA in 46 2/3 innings of work with the Brewers last year and has posted similar numbers at Triple-A with the Pirates and Astros this season.

In other injury news, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart provided an update regarding the status of outfielder Kyle Tucker earlier today. Tucker has been on the injured list for just over a week due to a right shin contusion after fouling a ball off of his leg, and McTaggart noted today that Tucker is no longer relying on crutches while moving around the dugout and clubhouse. While that’s certainly a good sign, McTaggart also noted that the soreness hasn’t completely dissipated for Tucker, who is still walking with a limp. According to manager Joe Espada (as relayed by McTaggart), Tucker may end up needing to go on a minor league rehab assignment before he returns if he can’t begin running “in the next day or two.”

A lengthier absence for Tucker would be an unfortunate turn of events for the Astros, as the 27-year-old was on an MVP-caliber pace at the time of his injury. In 60 games with Houston this year, Tucker has slashed a fantastic .266/.395/.584 in 262 trips to the plate while clubbing 19 home runs and stealing 10 bases. That’s good for a fantastic 176 wRC+ even in spite of the slump Tucker fell into in the weeks immediately prior to his injury, where he hit just .150/.255/.300 in his final 47 trips to the plate before landing on the IL. Trey Cabbage and Chas McCormick have split time in right field while Tucker has been on the shelf, with Yordan Alvarez and Mauricio Dubon handling left.

Pirates Place Henry Davis On 7-Day Concussion IL

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The Pirates announced this evening that they’ve placed catcher Henry Davis on the 7-day concussion IL. Catcher Jason Delay was recalled from the minor leagues to take Davis’s spot on the active roster. Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette first reported earlier today that Delay was joining the Pirates in Denver.

Davis, 24, was selected by the Pirates first overall in the 2021 draft. He made his big league debut with Pittsburgh last year but has generally struggled on offense in 91 games in the majors over the past two years with a .197/.292/.319 slash line in 357 career trips to the plate. Those struggles at the plate have been combined with somewhat lackluster marks behind the plate; Davis was actually used almost exclusively as an outfielder in his first taste of big league action last year, but an offseason injury to Endy Rodriguez allowed Davis to work his way back into the mix for starts at catcher. In 27 games at the position this season, Davis has posted -2 Defensive Runs Saved.

The youngster nonetheless figured to work in tandem with veteran Yasmani Grandal while Joey Bart was on the injured list due to a thumb issue. Those plans were scuttled, however, when Davis was struck in the face mask by a foul ball during yesterday’s game against the Rockies. Davis went through concussion protocol after the game, and evidently the Pirates had enough concern that the felt it best to place him on the IL. The seven day injured list for concussions offers teams additional flexibility when dealing with possible concussions, offering them the opportunity to shelve a player for just one week in order to minimize the incentive for players to try and play through what could wind up being a dangerous head injury.

With Davis now out for at least the next week, the Pirates will turn to Delay to fill out their catching corps. The 29-year-old was a fourth-round pick by the Pirates back in 2017 and broke into the big leagues with the club back in 2022 as the primary backup to Roberto Perez, although he quickly stepped into a larger role when Perez suffered a season-ending injury. Delay remained a key piece of the club’s catching mix in 2023 alongside Austin Hedges and Rodriguez, offering offered quality framing skills despite his lackluster offense (68 wRC+ in 354 trips to the plate).

Delay found himself buried by the acquisitions of Bart and Grandal on the club’s depth chart headed into the 2024 season and ultimately appeared in just one game this year before suffering a knee injury. Delay ultimately required surgery back in April and missed six weeks while rehabbing the injury, but was reinstated from the 60-day IL earlier this month and has been playing at the Triple-A level while awaiting his next opportunity since then. That opportunity has now arrived, and Delay figures to serve as the backup to Grandal for the big league club for at least the next week, though neither Davis nor Bart have a specific timetable for their return to action.

Kris Bryant Diagnosed With Internal Oblique Strain

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The Rockies received some unfortunate news regarding Kris Bryant today, as Bryant himself told reporters (including MLB.com’s Thomas Harding). Bryant was initially placed on the injured list earlier this month with a left rib contusion in what he had expected to be a fairly short stint on the shelf. Since, then, however, Bryant underwent an MRI after his soreness showed no improvement, and that testing revealed that the veteran was also dealing with an internal oblique strain. Bryant added that he has “no idea” when he’ll be able to return to action following the new diagnosis.

It’s the latest devastating setback in what has been an unbelievably difficult Rockies tenure for Bryant. The 32-year-old was selected second overall by the Cubs in the 2013 draft and rose to stardom almost immediately, capturing the 2015 NL Rookie of the Year award before winning the NL MVP award (and a drought-ending World Series championship) the following season. Over the course of six and a half seasons in Chicago, Bryant made four trips to the All Star game and slashed an excellent .279/.378/.508 in 833 games and helped lead the Cubs to five postseason appearances, including three trips to the NLCS and the aforementioned championship run.

After a brief stint in San Francisco after the 2021 trade deadline, Bryant found himself on the open market for the first time in his career and managed to secure a seven-year, $182MM deal with Colorado prior to the 2022 season. Unfortunately, that deal hasn’t panned out how either side was surely hoping it would. While Bryant’s first season in Colorado saw him hit a strong .306/.376/.475 with a 125 wRC+, he was limited to just 42 games that year by injuries.

Things have taken a turn for the worse since then, as Bryant has remained unable to stay on the field while also seeing his production suffer when he is healthy enough to play. Bryant has appeared in 104 games with the Rockies since the start of the 2023 campaign, and in his 436 trips to the plate with the club during that time he’s hit a paltry .223/.312/.347 that’s 30% worse than league average by measure of wRC+. That’s a slash line that would be difficult to stomach for any player, much less a $182MM corner bat who hasn’t made an appearance at his previous home of third base since joining the Rockies.

Now, Bryant appears to be facing yet another lengthy absence after already making one trip to the injured list earlier this year due to a low back strain. It’s become increasingly clear throughout his Rockies tenure that injury woes appear likely to plague Bryant throughout the remainder of his playing career; as he told Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post last month, he has dealt with disc problems in his back and “severe” arthritis that will continue to impact him throughout the remainder of his playing career in addition to his current oblique and rib issues.

Both the Rockies and Bryant are surely hoping he can not only rediscover the talent that made him one of the league’s best hitters during his time in Chicago, but also that he’ll be able to stay on the field often enough to showcase that talent. In the meantime, the Rockies figure to continue relying on Michael Toglia and Elehuris Montero to handle first base in Bryant’s absence while Toglia, Jake Cave, and Greg Jones mix and match in right field.

Orioles Notes: Holliday, Means, Kremer

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The Orioles placed Jackson Holliday on the minor league injured list yesterday. Despite the lack of impact on the club’s active roster, the move nonetheless raised eyebrows thanks to Holliday’s status as the consensus #1 overall prospect in the sport. Fortunately, club GM Mike Elias told reporters (including MASN’s Melanie Newman) that Holliday is dealing with a “barking” shoulder but that the issue isn’t serious and that he’s expected to need only a “few weeks” of rest before he returns to action.

That’s surely a relief for fans in Baltimore, as Holliday figures to join fellow youngsters like Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, and Grayson Rodriguez as a key part of the core for the Orioles going forward once he establishes himself at the big league level. The 20-year-old infielder got his first taste of big league action earlier this year but struggled badly with a with just two hits in 36 trips to the plate across ten games. That tough stretch led the Orioles to send Holliday back to the minors, and he’s continued to hit well at the Triple-A level since his return with a .252/.418/.429 slash line in 189 trips to the plate.

That being said, Holliday has struggled (at least by his own lofty standards) in the month of June so far, hitting just .212 with a 26.7% strikeout rate and a .394 slugging percentage, although his proclivity for drawing walks has allowed him to remain productive over all. Between the youngster’s relative struggles and his apparent elbow issue, it’s hardly a surprise that the Orioles have decided to play it safe with their prized prospect. Fortunately for fans in Baltimore, the Orioles lineup has played incredibly well to this point in the season and is hardly in need of reinforcements. The club’s 116 wRC+ is the third best figure in baseball this year, and Jorge Mateo has posted a decent .236/.281/.441 (103 wRC+) slash line while getting the lion’s share of playing time at Holliday’s likely long term position of second base.

In other news around the Orioles, southpaw John Means recently underwent his second Tommy John surgery in just over two years after making four starts for Baltimore late in the 2023 campaign and another four starts this year. Despite the surely frustrating physical setbacks, however, Means recently told reporters (including Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball) that he fully intends to return to pitching after he completes his post-surgery rehab, which will sideline him for the entire 2024 season and much of 2025.

“I still want to pitch, honestly,” Means said (per Dubroff). “I’d like to fail on the field before I give it up. I feel like if I go there, I can still pitch and get outs. I still feel really confident about my ability. I have to have my elbow keep up.”

For all of Means’s struggles in terms of staying on the field, he’s certainly been effective when healthy. The southpaw has a career 3.68 ERA with a 4.56 FIP across his 401 innings of work in the majors, and although he’s managed just ten starts since the beginning of the 2022 campaign he’s been nothing short of excellent in them with a 2.75 ERA and 3.99 FIP in 52 1/3 innings of work. Given those strong results, it’s not hard to imagine Means, 31, returning to action as an effective and valuable starter once he’s finally healthy. It’s unclear whether or not that return will come in an Orioles uniform, however, as the lefty is set to become a free agent after the 2024 campaign.

With Means and Tyler Wells both sidelined by UCL surgery and ace righty Kyle Bradish dealing with UCL issues of his own, the Baltimore rotation is in a bit of a tough spot. While Corbin Burnes and Rodriguez combine to form a strong top of the rotation, the club has been left to rely on Cole Irvin, Cade Povich, and Albert Suarez to round out the group due to a number of injuries. Fortunately, help could be on the way soon for the club as MLB.com’s Injury Tracker notes that right-hander Dean Kremer is expected to begin a rehab assignment with a “40-ish” pitch outing tomorrow.

MLB.com goes on to note that it remains up in the air whether or not Kremer will need another rehab start before returning to the Orioles, meaning the 28-year-old could potentially return to action for the club as soon as sometime late next week. The return of Kremer, who has been on the injured list for a little less than a month due to a triceps strain, would provide reliable innings for the Orioles pitching staff. Since the start of the 2022 season, Kremer has pitched to a solid 3.83 ERA (103 ERA+) with a 4.30 FIP in 348 innings of work for Baltimore.

Dana Brown, Joe Espada Discuss Astros First Base Plans

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After the Astros released veteran first baseman Jose Abreu yesterday, the move left a clear hole in the club’s lineup at first base. Both GM Dana Brown and manager Joe Espada have since spoken to media about the club’s plans at the position, as relayed by Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle.

As noted by Young, Brown told reporters that first baseman Jon Singleton, who received the majority of reps at first base when Abreu was optioned to the minors earlier this year, will get the first crack at regular at-bats at the position, with Brown noting that the club intends to give Singleton the opportunity to “grab the bull by the horn” and establish himself as a regular in their lineup. Through 50 games with the club this year, however, Singleton hasn’t done much to suggest he’s ready to step into the role of an everyday first baseman. The 32-year-old slugger has hit just .216/.313/.333 in 174 trips to the plate this year (92 wRC+). While his 13.2% walk rate in that time is quite impressive, he’s striking out at an elevated 26.4% clip and has displayed minimal power with just eight extra base hits this year.

That being said, Singleton’s actually been just above average (101 wRC+) with a 14.3% walk rate and a 22.6% strikeout rate against left-handed pitching this year. That provides some reason for optimism that Singleton could be a viable choice for the strong side of a platoon at first base, and it appears the club is receptive to that possibility. Per Young, both Brown and Espada have indicated that utility man Mauricio Dubon will factor into the club’s first base mix against left-handed pitching. Dubon is hitting a solid .302/.327/.421 (114 wRC+) in 168 trips to the plate with the Astros this year, a figure that includes an impressive 133 wRC+ against southpaws.

While the club appears to be planning on Singleton and Dubon handling first base for the time being, it appears that Astros brass are nonetheless considering alternative options should Singleton struggle in expanded playing time. As noted by Chandler Rome of The Athletic yesterday, the has considered the possibility of utilizing their catching tandem of Yainer Diaz and Victor Caratini at first base in some capacity as well. Both have produced solid offense with the bat this year for the standards of the catcher position: Diaz has slashed .258/.283/.407 (95 wRC+) in 233 trips to the plate while Caratini has posted a similar .235/.278/.408 (93 wRC+) line in 108 plate appearances.

With that said, both of those figures are below average overall and seem somewhat miscast at an offense-first position such as first base. Given that reality, it’s perhaps not a surprise that Espada indicated to reporters yesterday that the club prefers to keep Diaz and Caratini behind the plate. With that being said, the Astros did select the contract of switch-hitting catcher Cooper Hummel to replace Abreu on the roster yesterday. Hummel owns a lifetime slash line of just .166/.264/.286 in the majors, but if he can post something closer to the .301/.423/.509 slash line he has in 201 trips to the plate at the Triple-A level with the Astros this year it’s possible that he could either factor into the first base mix himself or act as a solid enough backup option behind the plate to make the Astros more comfortable utilizing Diaz and/or Caratini at first on a part-time basis.

Of course, all of these options are looking purely internally; MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart relayed yesterday that Brown noted that the Astros expect to search for an additional bat at the trade deadline in addition to their rumored pursuit of starting pitching. If Houston is indeed planning to add a bat to their lineup this summer, first base is certainly a logical fit. Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has already received some buzz as a potential candidate to move this summer, and while Toronto brass have emphasized their reluctance to make such a deal, the fit between Guerrero and the Astros is fairly obvious in the event that the 25-year-old does find himself on the move. Pete Alonso is another notable first baseman who could be on the move this summer, as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently discussed. Other speculative candidates to move at the deadline this summer at first base include a host of veterans on expiring deals such as Josh Bell and Justin Turner.

Marlins Select Kent Emanuel

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The Marlins announced earlier this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Kent Emanuel. Right-hander Shaun Anderson was optioned in a corresponding move. Emmanuel will take the 40-man roster spot of right-hander Burch Smith, who was designated for assignment yesterday.

The 32-year-old Emanuel was a third-round pick by the Astros back in 2013 and eventually worked his way up to the big leagues with the club in 2021, when he posted a strong 2.55 ERA across ten multi-inning relief appearances. Despite those solid top-level numbers, Emanuel struck out just 19.1% of batters faced and allowed four home runs in 17 2/3 innings of work. Those lackluster peripherals led the Astros to place Emanuel on waivers that November, where he was eventually claimed by the Phillies. Emanuel spent the 2022 season in the Phillies’s minor league system but was limited to just 13 starts by injury. After being outrighted off the roster in Philadelphia that offseason, Emanuel signed with Pittsburgh on a minor league deal and struggled in a swing role. He pitched to a 6.19 ERA in 20 appearances (13 starts) at the Triple-A level before returning to free agency, where he eventually found a minor league deal with the Marlins ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Since then, he’s been selected to the roster in Miami multiple times; today’s selection is actually his third of the season. In both of his previous stints with the big league club, the Marlins have turned to Emanuel as a multi-inning relief option for a single appearance before removing him from the roster. He’s struggled in both of his appearances this year, allowing eight runs (seven earned) in six innings of work while striking out four and walking three. Emanuel has struggled similarly at the Triple-A level this year as well, with a 6.60 ERA in nine appearances split between the rotation and bullpen. It seems likely Emanuel is once again ticketed for multi-inning relief with the Marlins, though it remains to be seen if his third stay in the big leagues with Miami will last longer than the last two.

Making room for Emanuel on the active roster is Anderson. The 29-year-old was only up with the big league Marlins for one day, as he allowed seven runs on ten hits in two innings of work in a start against the Nationals yesterday. Anderson, who was acquired from the Rangers in a cash deal at the end of May, is making his return to the big leagues this season after making 14 starts for the KIA Tigers of the Korea Baseball Organization last year. Prior to last night’s blow up start in Washington, Anderson had made two appearances for the Rangers. He allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three over 3 1/3 innings of work during his time with Texas, and figures to head back to the minors to act as optionable depth for the Marlins going forward.

The Opener: Rangers, Mariners, Cole, Pitchers’ Duel

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As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:

1. Series Preview: Rangers @ Mariners

It’s been a struggle for the reigning World Series champion Rangers this year, as they’ve played to just a 33-35 record that places them 5.5 games back of the Mariners for the AL West lead and 3.5 games back of the Twins for the final AL Wild Card spot. Texas has begun to heat up recently with a 9-6 record over their past 15 games, a stretch that includes swiping two of three from the Dodgers in L.A. earlier this week. With a three-game set against Seattle on the docket this weekend, the Rangers will turn to lefty Andrew Heaney (4.06 ERA), veteran Nathan Eovaldi (2.68 ERA), and righty Dane Dunning (4.80 ERA) opposite the three-headed monster at the front of the Mariners rotation: Luis Castillo (3.35 ERA), George Kirby (3.81 ERA), and Logan Gilbert (3.19 ERA).

The coming series will be crucial to the defending champs’ chances of turning things around, particularly in the division standings, prior to the trade deadline next month. The  Rangers won’t play the Mariners again until September. A sweep of the series by Texas would place them just 2.5 games back of Seattle in the division and back over .500, while the Mariners would be able to create even more distance in the AL West with a sweep of their own, giving them at least an eight-game lead over their closest competitor. The series kicks off tonight in Seattle and 7:10pm local time.

2. Cole continues rehab:

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole is scheduled to make his third rehab start at the Triple-A level today, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including those at MLB.com). Boone added that Cole is expected to throw around 70 pitches, and Cole himself said following his last start that he expected to make one more before returning to the majors. That could signal that Cole will be ready to be activated as soon as next week, assuming there are no hiccups during his rehab outing today.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner has been sidelined since Spring Training due to a bout of elbow inflammation but has looked like his usual dominant self in two rehab starts at the Double-A level. In a combined eight innings of work, Cole has struck out nine batters (32.4% strikeout rate) while issuing zero walks and allowing just one earned run. Cole’s return to the rotation should allow the Yankees to return right-hander Cody Poteet to his role as an occasional spot starter rather than a fixture of the rotation, though the 29-year-old has impressed with a 2.40 ERA in three starts since replacing an injured Clarke Schmidt.

3. 2021 NL Cy Young Award rematch:

Sunday’s game between the Phillies and Orioles will be a particularly interesting one, even aside from the inherent intrigue of seeing two of the league’s heavyweights square off in a hypothetical World Series preview. Right-handers Corbin Burnes and Zack Wheeler are set to face off in Baltimore starting at 1:35pm local time. It will be the first time the pair have faced each other since finishing as the top two in a close 2021 NL Cy Young Award vote that saw each hurler get 12 out of 30 first place votes. Ultimately, Burnes bested Wheeler by a narrow margin to take home the award.

Burnes was traded to Baltimore over the winter and upon joining the Orioles has enjoyed his best campaign since he was crowned the best pitcher in the NL three years ago. In 86 2/3 innings, he’s notched  2.08 ERA and 3.22 FIP, though his 23.6% strikeout rate is a far cry from the 35.6% figure he posted in 2021. Meanwhile, Wheeler recently signed an extension to stay in Philadelphia through 2027. His 2.16 ERA in 87 2/3 frames this season would be a career best, and he sports an excellent 2.90 FIP with a 27.7% strikeout rate.

The Opener: Diaz, Dodgers, Pitchers’ Duel

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As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Diaz to return:

Mets righty Edwin Diaz is set to be activated from the injured list today. The Mets will need to clear space on their active roster to accommodate Diaz, but Tim Healey of Newsday reported last night that they’ve already done so by optioning southpaw Danny Young to Triple-A. Diaz has been sidelined by an impingement in his right shoulder since the end of May, and his return figures to get plenty of attention due to the struggles he had been facing prior to that injury.

From April 29 until his last appearance prior to going on the IL, Diaz posted a 9.58 ERA and 6.25 FIP in 10 appearances and converted just one of five save chances, leading the Mets to temporarily remove their $102MM reliever from the closer role. Now that he’s returning to action, he’ll aim to get back to 2022 form, when he pitched to an otherworldly 1.31 ERA and 0.90 FIP with a 50.2% strikeout rate and 32 saves in 61 appearances.

2. Dodgers altering pitching plans:

The Dodgers are set to face off against the Rangers in a rubber match this evening, and they had previously been expecting to send right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the mound against Rangers right-hander Michael Lorenzen (3.05 ERA). However, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts told reporters (including those at MLB.com) that the club has decided to push Yamamoto’s next start back until Saturday against the Royals. Fortunately, Roberts didn’t indicate that there was a physical issue with the impressive young right-hander. Rather, it seems Yamamoto’s absence from the mound this evening is simply a way to monitor his workload and build extra rest into his schedule as he transitions to a heavier workload in MLB. (NPB starters typically pitch once per week, and Yamamoto has never started more than 26 games during a regular season.)

In the meantime, MLB.com’s Juan Toribio was among those to relay that the club is set to turn to right-hander Michael Grove, who has pitched to a 4.72 ERA in 34 1/3 long relief innings this season, to start what seems likely to be a bullpen game for the Dodgers. Tonight’s game is set to take place in Dodger Stadium at 7:10pm local time.

3. Interleague Pitchers’ Duel:

Another rubber match is set to take place this evening at Fenway Park when the Red Sox take on the Phillies for the final game of their three-game set. It’s not a game that figures to have much immediate impact on the standings, as Philadelphia has carved out a ten-game lead over the Braves in the NL East while Boston sits 11.5 games back of the second-place Orioles in the AL East with a .500 record.

What the game lacks in playoff impact it makes up for with an exciting pitching matchup, however. The Phillies are set to trot out right-hander Aaron Nola, who sports a 2.77 ERA with a 23.1% strikeout rate in 13 starts since signing a $172MM deal to remain in Philadelphia back in November. Meanwhile, the Red Sox counter with righty Tanner Houck, who has been nothing short of dominant so far in what is quickly becoming a breakout season. Houck’s 1.91 ERA is the best among all qualified AL hurlers, and the 27-year-old hurler’s 25% strikeout rate and 2.22 FIP largely back up those fantastic results. The two electric arms are scheduled to face off starting at 7:10pm local time this evening.

The Opener: Woo, Gallo, Angels

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We kicked off the morning with a trade of note between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, but here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Woo undergoes MRI:

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo was set to start last night’s game against the White Sox but ended up a late scratch due to what the club described as a “right forearm issue.” As noted by MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, the M’s are hopeful Woo will be able to avoid a trip to the injured list, although manager Scott Servis acknowledged to reporters yesterday that an IL stint may end up being necessary. If Woo does require a trip to the shelf, it would be a frustrating turn of events for the Mariners as the young righty has been dominant when healthy enough to take the mound this year, with a 1.06 ERA across six starts. As for possible replacements, lefty Jhonathan Diaz stepped in for Woo last night and allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings of work. It’s possible the club could stick with Diaz or opt to utilize right-hander Emerson Hancock, who has a 5.24 ERA in seven starts this season.

2. Gallo to the IL:

Nationals first baseman and outfielder Joey Gallo appears to be headed for the injured list today, as manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Andrew Golden of the Washington Post) yesterday that Gallo “pulled” his hamstring during last night’s game and that the club will need to make a roster move today to replace him. It’s been a tough season for Gallo, who is striking out at a hefty 43% clip while failing to make up for the lack of contact with his usual amount of power. While Gallo sports a career .263 ISO (slugging minus batting average) and a .241 figure from 2021-23, his ISO this year is just .157. With Gallo seemingly headed to the shelf, Joey Meneses could get a larger share of playing time at first, and infielder Trey Lipscomb could also be called up to pitch in at first.

3. Angels dealing with day-to-day injuries:

Two Angels players suffered injuries during yesterday’s loss to the Diamondbacks, leaving their status up in the air. Outfielder Taylor Ward was removed from the game in the eighth inning due to what the team described as “lower back tightness,” while catcher Logan O’Hoppe was pulled from the game two innings prior after being struck in the groin area by a foul ball off the bat of Arizona outfielder Randal Grichuk. O’Hoppe was down for several minutes due to the pain but was eventually able to walk off the field on his own accord.

Fortunately, the Halos appear to have escaped major injuries with both players; Ward told reporters he hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as today, while O’Hoppe indicated that he’s unlikely to play today but was cleared of major injury. If the pair end up needing a few days, Matt Thaiss figures to cover for O’Hoppe behind the plate while Kevin Pillar and Mickey Moniak would likely get extra time in the outfield in Ward’s absence.

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