Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Jose Urena Elects Free Agency

By | at

Right-hander Jose Urena has elected free agency, according to a report from MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. Urena was designated for assignment by the Mets earlier this week to make room for Kevin Herget on the active roster. Evidently, Urena has cleared waivers and opted to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. A player with at least three years of service time or a previous outright at any point in his career has the opportunity to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment. Both of those situations apply to Urena, who will now have the opportunity to explore opportunities with any of MLB’s 30 clubs.

The 33-year-old righty has now appeared in parts of 11 seasons in the majors. He began his career as a member of the Marlins and mostly pitched in a swing role to below average results, though he did manage to post a solid 3.90 ERA (100 ERA+) in 343 2/3 innings of work from 2017 to 2018. Since departing the Marlins following the shortened 2020 season, Urena has bounced around the league as a mostly below-average depth option primarily used on non-contending teams, with a 5.13 ERA (84 ERA+) and a matching 5.13 FIP across the past five seasons while pitching for the Tigers, White Sox, Rockies, Brewers, Rangers, and Mets.

His stint with the Rangers last year is by far the most interesting of his stops along the way. Urena returned to his familiar swing-man role with Texas but mostly pitched in multi-inning relief last year. Overall, he posted a rather pedestrian 3.80 ERA (103 ERA+) with a 4.62 FIP, but a closer look reveals that an excellent 2.92 ERA in 64 2/3 as a reliever, as opposed to his lackluster 5.08 ERA in nine starts. Urena’s 16.4% strikeout rate while pitching in relief last year was still far enough below average to be a potential red flag, but his ability to pitch multiple innings and solid run prevention numbers were enough to make him at least an intriguing depth candidate heading into this offseason.

Unfortunately for the journeyman, teams weren’t interested enough in seeing what he could do to give him a major league deal this winter. That left him to sign a minor league pact with the Mets over the offseason, though he initially failed to make the club’s roster out of camp. He stuck in the organization afterwards and was selected to the roster a few days ago, but he surrendered five earned runs in just three innings of work during his lone appearance before being designated for assignment. Whether he’ll re-sign in the Mets org and return to Triple-A Syracuse or look for a deal elsewhere remains to be seen, but despite his generally below-average results Urena’s ability to be a versatile and durable depth option should be enough to earn him attention from at least some teams around the league.

Poll: Can Ben Rice Keep This Up?

By | at

Yesterday, Yankees slugger Ben Rice enjoyed a three-hit game that saw him slug two homers. It was a great game, but that’s become almost commonplace for the 26-year-old through the season’s first month. After making his big league debut at first base while filling in for Anthony Rizzo last summer, Rice entered Spring Training this year in the mix for a bench spot as a pinch-hitter and backup catcher behind Austin Wells. An injury to Giancarlo Stanton created an opportunity for regular playing time, however, and Rice was chosen to take those regular reps.

He’s certainly making the most of the opportunity, having done nothing but rake since the season began. In 106 plate appearances this year, Rice has slashed an incredible .278/.387/.611 (184 wRC+). Rice has clobbered eight homers already, leaving him tied for the ninth-most long balls in the majors and just two behind Eugenio Suarez and Cal Raleigh for the major league lead. Sandwiched between those two and Rice with nine homers is Aaron Judge, for whom Rice’s emergence has created the sort of protection in the lineup that Juan Soto offered him last season. If comparing the 26-year-old’s early season production to Soto’s 2024 campaign sounds hyperbolic, it isn’t; Rice’s aforementioned 184 wRC+ currently makes him the fourth-best qualified hitter in baseball and second only to Judge in the AL. Soto’s 180 wRC+ last year made him the third-best qualified hitter in baseball and second only to Judge in the AL.

The question for Rice, however, is how sustainable this hot start will prove to be. The Yankees would surely love for Rice to emerge as star-level bat both for this season and the long-term, when he could take over for Paul Goldschmidt as the club’s regular first baseman. This isn’t the first time Rice has come out of the gates with a hot start, however, as his cup of coffee last year started with a 24-game, 92-PA stretch where he hit an impressive .228/.315/.494 with six homers. That start proved to be unsustainable for him, as he hit a paltry .110/.209/.192 the rest of the way to finish as a well below-average hitter overall across his 50 games in the majors.

In that 24-game stretch of success last year, Rice struck out at a 22.8% clip, walked 12.0% of the time, and posted an incredible 20.0% barrel rate. Those are all solid peripherals, though his 38.3% hard-hit rate was somewhat concerning and helped to explain his lackluster .222 BABIP. That’s especially true when combined with his 50% fly ball rate over that stretch; while elevating the ball often helps with homers, leading to the aforementioned massive barrel rate, softly-hit fly balls are the worst type of contact a hitter can make. That weak contact in the air led to very few balls dropping in for hits, and once the home runs stopped coming his overall production cratered.

How does Rice’s start to 2025 measure up to last year’s hot start? The signs are mixed in that regard. His strikeout rate (24.5%) has actually gotten worse, and his walk rate (12.3%) is mostly stagnant. The real story here can be found in his batted ball data. Rice’s 21.9% barrel rate is phenomenal, but not a massive change from the 20.0% figure he put up during last year’s hot streak. However, Rice is making loud contact much more consistently so far this year. His hard-hit rate has jumped up to a phenomenal 62.5%, good for second in all of baseball this year behind Oneil Cruz’s 62.7% and slightly ahead of Shohei Ohtani’s 62.3%.

Hitting the ball hard that consistently is obviously a good thing, but the hard contact has come at the cost of Rice elevating the ball much less than he was last year. His 15.6% line drive rate is down five points from last year and his 35.9% fly ball rate is down eight points; consequently, that’s led to a 13-point spike in his ground ball rate, which now sits at 48.4%. That huge grounder rate may seem like it would limit Rice’s power, and that’s true to a least some extent. Even so, plenty of hitters have emerged as legitimate power threats over the years despite hitting the ball on the ground a lot as long as they hit the ball hard enough to send it out when they do elevate. Gunnar Henderson, Ketel Marte, and Teoscar Hernandez are among the players who posted big seasons last year despite ground ball rates in a similar range as Rice. What’s more, advanced metrics generally seem to buy that Rice has earned his production so far. His .428 wOBA this year is virtually identical to his .425 xwOBA.

How much do MLBTR readers believe in Rice’s offensive explosion to open the season? Have the Yankees found another star slugger to pair with Judge in the middle of their lineup, or will this hot start prove to be a flash in the pan like last year? Have your say in the poll below:

How will Ben Rice finish the season?
Rice won't be able to maintain All-Star caliber production, but he'll still finish the year as a quality everyday player. 55.44% (1,559 votes)
Rice will mostly maintain his hot start and post an All-Star caliber campaign in 2025. 29.91% (841 votes)
Rice will regress badly as he did last year and appear miscast as an everyday player in the majors by season's end. 14.65% (412 votes)
Total Votes: 2,812

The Opener: Witt, Prospect Promotions, IL Activations

By | at

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Witt reaches 20-game hit streak:

Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. may not yet be replicating the absurd heights he reached during his MVP runner-up campaign last year, but he’s still off to an excellent start. The soon to be 25-year-old is hitting .316/.385/.474 with nine steals and an MLB-leading 12 doubles. After a relatively slow start in the season’s first couple of weeks, Witt’s last 20 games have been particularly sensational; he’s batted .356/.424/.521 while getting at least one hit in each game. That 20-game hit streak is the longest of the 2025 season, and today he’ll try to keep it going against the Rays and right-hander Drew Rasmussen.

2. Youngsters getting promoted:

Speaking of the Royals’ matchup with Rasmussen and the Rays this evening, they’ll be sending a rookie to the mound opposite Tampa’s hard-throwing righty. Southpaw Noah Cameron is reportedly poised to make his MLB debut in this evening’s game, which is scheduled to begin at 7:05pm local time in Tampa. Cameron was generally solid in 25 starts between Double-A and Triple-A last year, and to this point he’s posted a 3.22 ERA in five starts at the level this season with a 30.3% strikeout rate. That excellent start was enough to earn him a look at the big league level as a spot starter while ace southpaw Cole Ragans nurses a groin injury.

Meanwhile, two prospects figure to make their own MLB debuts today when the Reds promote right-hander Chase Petty and infielder Tyler Callihan. Those promotions will come in advance of today’s doubleheader against the Cardinals. Petty, 22, is a top-100 prospect acquired from the Twins in the Sonny Gray trade a few years back. He’s slated to pitch opposite St. Louis lefty Steven Matz after posting a 3.52 ERA in his first five starts of the year at Triple-A. As for Callihan, the third-rounder of Cincinnati’s 2019 draft has just begun his age-25 season and has torn the cover off the ball in his first taste of Triple-A, with a .311/.432/.553 slash line in 28 games (including a brief four-game look there late in 2024).

3. Notable returns in Los Angeles, Boston:

Two starting pitchers who haven’t pitched since the 2023 season are slated to return to the big leagues today. The Dodgers are welcoming Tony Gonsolin back from the injured list following rehab from Tommy John surgery that’s kept him sidelined 20 months. He’ll face the Marlins in his return game at Dodger Stadium, which is scheduled for 12:10pm local time and will feature Miami righty Cal Quantrill on the mound opposite the 2022 All-Star.

Meanwhile, Lucas Giolito will finally make his Red Sox debut after signing with the club during the 2023-24 offseason but undergoing elbow surgery during spring training. Giolito is poised to take on the Blue Jays in Toronto, with the game scheduled for 7.07pm local time. The Jays have not yet announced who will take the mound opposite Giolito in this evening’s game.

Poll: Should The Rangers Be Worried About Marcus Semien?

By | at

On balance, Rangers fans are surely happy that the club signed Marcus Semien prior to the 2022 season. After all, his second year with the club saw him make the AL All-Star team, finish as a finalist for the AL MVP award for the third time in his career, and join the rest of the Rangers in hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy after bringing home the first World Series championship in franchise history. Flags fly forever, so in a sense that surprising seven-year, $175MM contract that Texas brass shelled out to convince Semien to join a team coming off a 102-loss season is already a resounding success.

Perhaps that’s a good thing, as Semien has shown some worrying signs as he enters his mid-thirties. Last season represented a notable step back from his star-level production thanks primarily to a down season at the plate. In 159 games for the Rangers last year, the veteran hit .237/.308/.391 with a 99 wRC+. It was a step back from the 126 wRC+ he had posted the previous year, but hardly out of the ordinary. 2024 was the seventh year in a row where Semien had alternated a relatively average offensive season with one where he mustered up enough offense to finish third in AL MVP voting. It’s a trend that stretched across three different teams, starting during his time in Oakland in 2018 with a pedestrian season that he followed up by crushing a then career-high 33 homers in 2019.

The trend continued when he suffered a down season during the 60-game 2020 campaign, though Semien came roaring back with a 45-homer season and 6.0 fWAR in 2021 as a member of the Blue Jays. That was the platform campaign Semien put together ahead of his decision to sign with the Rangers, and overall the first three years of that deal have been successful overall with a .254/.320/.433 (111 wRC+) with 14.8 fWAR. Despite his pedestrian season offensively last year, Semien still managed to piece together a four-win campaign thanks to him offering some of the most defensive value in the entire sport with his work at second base. Among all qualified players regardless of position last year, Semien’s +19 Outs Above Average were eclipsed by only fellow second baseman Andres Gimenez. His Fielding Run Value was similarly impressive, as his +14 figure was tied with Gimenez for the league lead among all infielders.

That sort of wizardry with the glove can make up for a pedestrian bat, but it can’t make up for the sort of numbers Semien has put up in 2025 so far. In Semien’s first 115 plate appearances this year, he’s hit a paltry .155/.226/.223, good for a 30 wRC+. That’s 70% worse than league average, and the third-weakest offensive performance in the majors among qualified hitters so far this year. That sort of offensive production is nearly impossible to make up for with the glove and on the bases, and that’s assuming Semien can replicate his elite defense from last year despite being just a few months shy of his 35th birthday. With three years and $72MM still remaining on his contract after this year, Semien’s age and brutal start to the season are clear causes for worry in Texas.

Fortunately, Semien’s underlying offensive numbers do provide reason for at least some optimism. Semien’s .175 BABIP won’t stay more than 100 points below his career mark (.281) all year long. In the power department, his 8.1% barrel rate is actually the highest he’s posted since his 45-homer campaign with the Blue Jays back in 2021, though his 31.7% hard-hit rate is the lowest its been in a 162-game season since 2017. The more concerning metrics are those regarding his plate discipline. While Semien’s 8.7% walk rate is largely unchanged from last year’s 8.9% figure, his strikeout rate jumped from 14.6% in each of the past two seasons to 20.0% so far in 2025.

That increase in strikeouts has been due to an increase in whiffs, especially outside of the strike zone. Semien’s swinging strike rate this year is up to 10.9%, a full two points higher than his career mark of 8.9% and the highest he’s posted since his 21-game cup of coffee with the White Sox back in 2013. When looking at pitches outside of the strike zone, Semien is making contact just 45.5% of the time, down more than ten points from last year. Even though Semien can expect some positive regression in the power and BABIP departments, his newfound issues with whiffs outside of the strike zone could limit his ability to be an above-average bat in the majors if not corrected.

How do MLBTR readers think Semien’s 2025 season will play out? A rebound on at least some level appears all but guaranteed, given that Billy Hunter of the 1953 St. Louis Browns is the last player to post a 30 wRC+ or lower while qualifying for the batting title. The real question appears to be whether Semien will be able to get his offense back to a level that would allow his defense to make him an above-average major leaguer. Have your say in the poll below:

What's in store for Marcus Semien this year?
He'll bounce back enough to be an average or better player overall, though his offense will remain below average (99 wRC+ or lower). 42.97% (1,388 votes)
He'll continue to struggle badly enough that he's a below-average player overall at the end of the year. 28.92% (934 votes)
Semien will bounce back strongly enough to post an at least average offensive season (100 wRC+ or higher). 28.11% (908 votes)
Total Votes: 3,230

Jesse Chavez Elects Free Agency

By | at

April 29: Chavez cleared waivers and elected free agency yet again, as relayed by David O’Brien of The Athletic. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he signs a new minor league deal in the next day or two.

April 27: The Braves announced this morning that they’ve designated right-hander Jesse Chavez for assignment. The move makes room on the active roster for right-hander Davis Daniel, who has been recalled to the majors.

Chavez, 41, made just one appearance in his latest stint with the Braves when he surrendered one run on two hits and a walk while striking out two in an inning of work against the Diamondbacks. He’s so far posted a 6.00 ERA in three innings at the big league level for Atlanta this year, his sixth season in a Braves uniform. The veteran journeyman has pitched to a 4.24 ERA (99 ERA+) and 4.22 FIP in his 18 seasons as a big leaguer but has enjoyed something of a resurgence in recent years.

In 2018, Chavez posted a 2.55 ERA and 3.54 FIP for the Rangers and Cubs across 95 1/3 innings of work. It would’ve been easy to think of that performance as a flash in the pan after he returned to Texas and struggled in both 2019 and the shortened 2020 season, but he signed with Atlanta in 2021 and has looked quite good ever since with a 2.96 ERA and 3.50 FIP in 204 innings of work since then. That ERA drops to an even more impressive 2.59 when looking just at the time he’s spent in Atlanta over the past five seasons, and a strong relationship between the organization and player has seen him return to the club repeatedly in recent years after brief stints elsewhere.

It seems likely that relationship will continue even after today’s DFA. The Braves now have one week to either trade Chavez or pass him through waivers going forward, but if he does clear waivers it would hardly be a shock to see Chavez reject an outright assignment before re-signing in Atlanta on a minor league deal, as he did the last time he was DFA’d by the Braves earlier this month. Should he accept an outright assignment return to the Braves organization on a fresh deal, he’ll remain available to Atlanta as a non-roster depth option who can be called upon to provide length out of the bullpen as needed.

Chavez’s departure from the roster makes room for Daniel, who Atlanta acquired from the Angels back in December. The righty was a seventh-round pick by Anaheim in the 2019 draft and made his big league debut in 2023. In total, he’s pitched 42 2/3 innings of work across nine appearances (six starts) with a 5.06 ERA and 4.41 FIP during that time. Last season, Daniel struck out 20.9% of batters faced at the big league level while walking just 4.5%, but was held back by the long ball as he surrendered five in just 30 1/3 innings of work. For a Braves club that doesn’t have a clear starter for Monday’s game against the Rockies after losing Spencer Strider to the injured list, Daniel could be an option for a spot start if he’s not needed out of the bullpen against the Diamondbacks this evening.

The Opener: Arraez, Gibson, MLBTR Chat

By | at

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day today:

1. Arraez to be activated:

Padres infielder Luis Arraez has spent more than a week on the concussion list after a collision at first base led to him being carted off the field in Houston. Per Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase, Arraez is expected to be activated prior to tonight’s home game against the visiting Giants, set for 6:40pm local time. It’s a boon for the Padres’ lineup. While Gavin Sheets has performed well amid a move from DH to first base while covering for Arraez, that left more at-bats for Oscar Gonzalez and Tirso Ornelas, both of whom have looked generally overmatched so far this season. Gonzalez is hitting .256/.273/.279 in 44 plate appearances, and Ornelas has delivered just a .071/.188/.071 slash in a smaller sample of 16 plate appearances (1-for-14 with two walks). An active roster move will be necessary to activate Arraez.

2. Gibson to make season debut:

Five weeks after he signed with the Orioles on a one-year deal, Baltimore is welcoming veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson back into its rotation today. He’s already on the 40-man roster, but a corresponding move to clear room on the active roster for the 37-year-old will still be necessary. Gibson is set to begin the 13th MLB season of his career tonight against the Yankees and southpaw Carlos Rodon, who sports a solid 3.50 ERA through six starts to this point in the year.

Gibson carries a career 4.52 ERA and a 4.68 mark over the past three seasons, but his ability to eat innings and keep his team in games has still made him a valuable back-end starter. That includes his previous stint in Baltimore, when he helped the 2023 club make it to the postseason by acting as a veteran leader in the rotation (33 starts, 192 innings, 4.73 ERA). Now that the Orioles have slid to fifth place in the AL East, will Gibson once again be able to help left them to the postseason?

3. MLBTR chat today:

The month of April is coming to a close. Some expected contenders like those in Atlanta and Baltimore have struggled considerably (though the Braves have now won eight of their past 10). Meanwhile, the Giants stand as the most surprising division leader, currently holding a 19-10 record that ties them with the Dodgers for the NL West lead. There’s still plenty of baseball left to go. If you have questions about which starts to believe in or are already looking towards July’s trade deadline then MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Poll: Will Cedric Mullins Sustain His Hot Start?

By | at

There wasn’t much for Orioles fans to be excited about back in 2021, as they ultimately lost 110 games that season. Center fielder Cedric Mullins was the exception to that, however, as the then-26-year-old broke out in a big way that year with a .291/.360/518 slash line in 159 games while playing strong defense in center. Flash forward to 2025 and while the Orioles are certainly not going to lose 110 games, their fans are once again staring down disappointment as their 10-17 record puts them dead last in the AL East. Amid that disappointment, however, Mullins is once again emerging as a bright spot.

Now in his age-30 season, the club’s center fielder is putting on by far the best offensive performance of his career. He’s slashing .279/.421/.547 in his first 107 trips to the plate, production that’s good for an incredible 185 wRC+. His six home runs put him on pace for a career-best mark over a full season, and he’s pairing that surge in power with a massive 17.8% walk rate while maintaining a fairly low 19.6% strikeout rate. He remains an impressive baserunner as well, with five stolen bases in six attempts, and that entire offensive package has been paired with his typically-stellar defense.

In all, it’s the sort of scorching start that would be MVP-caliber if maintained over a full season; only Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr. have posted more fWAR than Mullins in the AL this year. That sort of season would not only help the Orioles get back into the conversation for a playoff spot, but it would be game-changing for Mullins himself ahead of his first foray into free agency this winter. In a free agent class that has long looked relatively light on quality offensive options, a strong offensive season for Mullins could earn him quite the raise on the open market as was the case for fellow outfielders Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar this past offseason following their own strong walk years.

Just how feasible is it for Mullins to maintain this production? Some of it certainly looks sustainable. He’s posting a career-high in hard-hit rate (40.0%) while posting his best barrel rate (7.7%) since his 30-homer campaign in 2021, so there’s some reason for optimism about his power increase. His .305 BABIP is within spitting distance of his .290 career mark, and a 20.3% line drive rate (his best since 2020) provides an easy explanation for the slight increase. In general, Mullins is elevating the ball more than he ever has before in his career with a ground ball rate of just 26.6% and a launch angle of 24.1 degrees, both career-best marks. With that said, his aforementioned barrel and hard-hit rates are both still below league average and seem unlikely to keep generating homers at quite this level and his .423 expected slugging percentage is more than 100 points below his actual figure.

While the sustainability of Mullins’ newfound power is questionable, his improved plate discipline is backed up by underlying numbers. Mullins is swinging just 42.1% of the time, the lowest figure he’s posted since his debut season in 2018, and most of that patience has come against pitches outside of the zone. He’s swinging at balls outside the strike zone just 20.7% of the time, and he’s combined that with a knack for making contact on pitches in the zone, connecting on 90.8% of his in-zone swings. It’s led to a swinging-strike rate of just 7.5% so far this year and, while his gargantuan 17.8% walk rate will almost certainly come down at some point, it’s easy to imagine this sort of approach resulting in a career-best walk rate for Mullins, who walked in just 8.1% of his career plate appearances entering this season.

While some regression appears all but guaranteed to come for Mullins eventually, there’s enough real improvements to his approach that it’s not hard to imagine him matching or perhaps even surpassing his career-best 2021 campaign. Mullins’ .366 xwOBA, while nearly 60 points below his current wOBA, is actually 22 points higher than his 2021 figure and by far the best of his career. That expected number puts Mullins in the same ballpark as players like Witt, Seiya Suzuki, and Francisco Lindor this year, and it’s in line with the production of Freddie Freeman, Kyle Schwarber, and Corey Seager at the plate last season.

How do MLBTR readers think Mullins’ platform season will play out? Will he enter free agency coming off of a career year, end up in line with his 2021 numbers, or regress back to his career norms? Have your say in the poll below:

How will Cedric Mullins perform in 2025?
He'll post a season more or less in line with his career-best 2021 season (136 wRC+, 6.0 fWAR) 40.90% (670 votes)
He'll regress to his career norms by the end of the season (107 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR) 38.46% (630 votes)
He'll post the best season of his career, eclipsing 2021. 20.63% (338 votes)
Total Votes: 1,638

The Opener: Glasnow, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles

By | at

As the 2025 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Glasnow undergoing testing:

Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow exited yesterday’s start prior to the second inning due to what the club referred to as “discomfort” in his throwing shoulder. Glasnow noted after the game that the soreness is something he’s been dealing with recently due to changes to his delivery. He was slated to undergo testing last night, so more information should be available today.

Losing a starter of Glasnow’s caliber is always difficult, but it’d be particularly frustrating for the Dodgers, given the timing. Los Angeles has been using four starters since Blake Snell landed on the IL, but with Tony Gonsolin nearing a return, they surely hoped to be back up to five starters in the near future. Glasnow hasn’t been his best self to this point in the year. He’s posted a lackluster 4.50 ERA with a 5.38 FIP, and it’s not hard to imagine a trip to the IL to rest his ailing shoulder helping him get back on track.

2. Cardinals roster move incoming:

The Cardinals are reportedly poised to select the contract of Jose Barrero today. Barrero, 27, has parts of four MLB seasons under his belt and most recently played for the Reds back in 2023. He’s struggled to hit in the majors over the years but has played quality defense both at shortstop and in center field, and it’s that strong glove that’s convinced the Cardinals to call him up for their bench mix. Thomas Saggese was optioned to the minors to make room for Barrero on the active roster, but a 40-man roster move will still be necessary to officially add him to the roster. With no obvious 60-day IL candidates currently available, the most likely avenue to open up a roster spot for Barrero would be designating a player for assignment.

3. Series Preview: Yankees @ Orioles

A series that many fans in New York and Baltimore circled as a clash between likely playoff teams is scheduled to begin at 6:35pm local time this evening, but the situation facing the Orioles as the division-leading Yankees arrive in Camden Yards is far different than most anticipated. The O’s have struggled to a 10-17 record and are coming off a sweep at the hands of the AL-best Tigers. The Yankees, meanwhile, have arguably exceeded the expectations placed on the team after losing Juan Soto to free agency and Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery. They’ve picked up nine wins in their last 13 games, propelling them to a 17-11 record overall.

The looming three-game set has far more stakes for the Orioles than it does for the Yankees. New York would surely like to pad its two-game cushion over the second-place Red Sox, but another sweep would put Baltimore ten games below .500 before the month of May even begins. The series starts with Yankees youngster Will Warren on the mound opposite longtime NPB ace Tomoyuki Sugano as both compete in their first full big league seasons. Carlos Rodon will take on a yet-to-be-determined Orioles starter in Game 2 of the series. Baltimore lefty Cade Povich is scheduled to take on Yankees veteran Carlos Carrasco in Game 3.

Phillies, Diamondbacks Interested In Ryan Helsley

By | at

The calendar has not yet even flipped to May, leaving more than three months to go until MLB’s trade deadline on July 31. That hasn’t stopped some teams from assessing their needs and even beginning to look into potential targets for the summer, however, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that the Phillies and Diamondbacks both already have an eye on Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. There’s no indications that St. Louis is currently listening to offers on their closer, nor that either Philadelphia or Arizona has reached out to Cardinals brass at this point, though Nightengale goes on to suggest that Helsley is “likely” to be dealt prior to the deadline.

It’s easy to see why Helsley would be an attractive candidate for teams looking for a closer. The righty emerged as the Cardinals’ closer in 2022 and has been nothing short of dominant ever since, with a combined 1.83 ERA (225 ERA+), a 34.6% strikeout rate, and and 2.35 FIP to go with 83 saves over the past three years. Those numbers are nothing short of elite: Among all qualified relievers during that stretch, Helsley’s ERA is third (behind Emmanuel Clase and Devin Williams), his FIP is fourth (behind Williams, Matt Brash, and Edwin Diaz), his saves total ranks sixth, and his strikeout rate ranks eighth.

Those sensational numbers made Helsely a prime trade target for clubs in need of relief help over the winter, including Arizona and Toronto. The Cardinals seemingly rebuffed offers on their closer throughout the offseason, however, even as they opted not to discuss an extension with their closer as they shied away from making long-term commitments this winter. St. Louis’s 12-15 record puts them 4.5 games back of the Cubs in the NL Central and three games underwater. It’s still plenty early enough for virtually any team in the majors to go on a run and get themselves into the playoff conversation, but failing a surprise reversal in fortune a Cardinals front office that attempted to soft-launch a retooling over the offseason appears likely to sell rental pieces like Helsley this summer.

Should Helsley be dangled by the Cardinals later this year, they’ll surely find plenty of suitors. Toronto pivoted to sign Jeff Hoffman after they failed to land Helsley, and that decision is going swimmingly so far. The Diamondbacks did not find a closer over the offseason, however, so Nightengale’s report that they have continued interest in Helsley makes plenty of sense. That’s particularly true after A.J. Puk was shelved last week due to elbow inflammation that seems likely to keep him out of action for the foreseeable future, further denting a bullpen that relied primarily on Puk and Justin Martinez to close out games.

The Phillies, meanwhile, attempted to address the losses of Hoffman and Estevez in free agency by signing non-tendered Jays closer Jordan Romano. The 32-year-old had been one of the league’s top closing pitchers not long ago, with a 2.29 ERA and two All-Star appearances between 2020 and 2023. Things changed last year, however, as Romano battled elbow inflammation and pitched to an ugly 6.59 ERA in the 15 appearances he did make. That led the Jays to non-tender Romano, and the Phillies eventually snapped him up on an $8.5MM guarantee. That deal was signed with the idea that Romano would join lefties Jose Alvarado and Matt Strahm in the late innings for the Phillies this year, but things haven’t gone to plan as he’s allowed a whopping 15 runs (14 earned) in just 9 1/3 innings of work over 11 appearances.

It’s hardly a shock that such an ugly performance has inspired the Phillies to begin surveying closing possibilities on the trade market. The club’s core is continuing to age and with players like Ranger Suarez, Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto set to hit free agency this winter the team could look extremely different this time next year. If 2025 proves to be the Phillies’ last opportunity to win with their current core, it would make sense to be aggressive in supplementing it this summer even as they enter play today with a relatively pedestrian 14-13 record. Adding a solid back-end reliever like Helsley, as they did when they dealt for Estevez last year, could go a long way to helping Philadelphia gear up for a playoff run in what looks to be an extremely competitive National League this year.

As sensible as the addition of a player like Helsley may be, Nightengale is quick to note that the Phillies aren’t interested in trading their very best and most impactful prospects. Specifically Nightengale writes that both Andrew Painter and Aidan Miller won’t be included in any trade, and that’s hardly a surprise given that both are well-regarded pieces with high ceilings who are already in the upper levels of the minors. It would be a shock if either of them were traded this summer and it’s almost unfathomable that either could ever be considered in a deal for a rental relief arm, even one as electric as Helsley.

Padres Select David Morgan

By | at

The Padres announced this afternoon that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander David Morgan. Righty Logan Gillaspie is headed for the 15-day injured list due to a left oblique strain, which creates space for Morgan on the active roster. Righty Bryan Hoeing was transferred to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man roster spot for Morgan.

Morgan, 25, is in line to make his big league debut once he gets into a game. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Padres back in 2022, the right-hander made just three complex league appearances in his first year with the club. He pitched to decent results in Single- and High-A in 2023 but took a step backwards last year when he struggled to a 5.35 ERA in 22 appearances at the Double-A level. He struck out just 18.9% of his opponents while walking 11.2%, but the first few appearances of his return to the level this year have gone much more smoothly. Morgan has pitched to a 3.12 ERA across seven outings this season with an incredible 50% strikeout rate and just one walked allowed. That dominating run of outings at Double-A was evidently enough for the Padres to give Morgan a look at the big league level despite it lasting just 8 2/3 innings and the righty having no experience at even Triple-A so far in his career.

Morgan’s addition to the roster is made possible by the departure of Logan Gillaspie, who was selected to the roster earlier this month. Gillaspie was added as a long relief option and had pitched to a 2.57 ERA in seven innings despite walking as many batters as he’s struck out (4). The right-hander has now been sidelined by an oblique strain, however, and figures to be on the shelf for at least the next couple of weeks. Gillaspie has made only a handful of big league appearances prior to this year between San Diego and Baltimore, though he’s struggled in those limited outings with a 5.02 ERA in 37 2/3 innings of work entering this season.

As for Hoeing, the righty was acquired alongside Tanner Scott from the Marlins at the trade deadline last year. After struggling in his first two seasons with the Marlins, 2024 proved to be something of a breakout for Hoeing as he pitched to a 2.18 ERA in 53 2/3 innings of work, including a 1.52 ERA in 18 appearances with San Diego down the stretch. Hoeing was considered for a move into the starting rotation by the Padres throughout the offseason, though they ultimately opted to keep him in the bullpen instead. Unfortunately, even a relief role hasn’t been available to him so far this year as he’s been sidelined since the start of camp due to shoulder soreness.

Hoeing will now be unavailable for at least another month, as he’ll first be eligible to be activated on May 26 due to having spent the entire season to this point on the injured list. His transfer to the 60-day IL may seem alarming at first glance, but it appears as though it may be nothing more than a procedural move. After all, MLB.com notes that Hoeing has already begun throwing bullpen sessions. It’s unclear when the righty could begin a rehab assignment, but given his lack of work in camp it would be understandable if the Padres wanted to give him a relatively long one to build up towards a return to the majors. A longer rehab stint could leave Hoeing away from the Padres until late May anyway.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top