Padres Shopping For Bullpen Help
The Padres have the one of the best bullpens in baseball, but president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is seemingly never content with his roster and always in the process of searching for upgrades. To that end, Dennis Lin of the The Athletic reports that Preller is already poking around for bullpen help, hoping to strike up an early deal with a team open to parting with some relief pitching.
It might sound counterintuitive, given that San Diego’s relief corps includes Mason Miller, Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Bradgley Rodriguez (1.66 ERA in 21 2/3 innings). San Diego relievers rank seventh in the majors with a 3.32 ERA, second with a 25.5% strikeout rate, first with a 50.8% ground-ball rate, third with a 3.23 FIP and third with a 3.27 SIERA. However you measure it, manager Craig Stammen (a former reliever himself) has the nucleus of an elite relief unit in place.
The Padres have also gotten good work from lower-leverage arms like Ron Marinaccio, Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta. The main reason they’re not pacing the majors in most bullpen categories is shaky work from players who were promoted for brief looks. Alek Jacob, Kyle Hart and David Morgan have posted ERAs north of 5.00 in a combined 33 innings. Out-of-options knuckleballer Matt Waldron made three relief appearances (two behind an opener) and was tagged for seven runs in 9 2/3 “relief” innings before landing on the injured list.
The core of San Diego’s bullpen is as strong and deep as any you’ll find in the game, but injuries are an inevitability, and the team is presumably wary of overworking its top arms. Padres relievers rank seventh in the majors with 200 1/3 innings pitched.
The Padres are one of just three teams with five true relievers who’ve already topped 20 innings this season. They lean heavily on their go-to contingent of ‘pen arms, and their starters don’t work deep into games. Michael King and Randy Vásquez are both averaging about 5 2/3 frames per start — King a bit more, Vásquez a bit less. None of their other starters are averaging even five frames per appearance (save for Lucas Giolito, who’s only pitched one game since signing and went exactly five frames in that debut showing).
Few teams are likely open to sell-side trades at this point, but it’s nevertheless of note that Preller & Co. are actively seeking arms. They’re rare, but there have been a handful of early-season trades of note over the past couple seasons, as the Padres know first-hand. They picked up Luis Arraez in an early-May swap with Miami back in 2024. Last year, we saw the Brewers acquire Quinn Priester from the Red Sox in April and the Giants acquire Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in June. Earlier this month, San Francisco traded Patrick Bailey to Cleveland.
There’s no shortage of teams looking at extreme longshot playoff odds by now. Many were expected to be in this position, but the Giants, Astros, Royals, Tigers, Orioles and Mets all entered the season hopeful of contending. All are at least seven games under .500. The Angels and Rockies have baseball’s two worst records. Not everyone from that group will wave an early white flag. Most won’t, in fact. The Tigers aren’t going to sell early in their final guaranteed year with Tarik Skubal. The Mets have been playing better ball of late and are trending in the right direction. The Orioles aren’t likely to sell off any notable pieces this early, either.
One element to consider when looking at any Padres trade scenarios is the looming ownership change. The Seidler family has a deal to sell the franchise to billionaire Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones. Lin reports that the incoming ownership duo is willing to spend to bring a title to San Diego, though the extent to which that’s true isn’t clear. Still, the Padres operated on a tight budget late in the offseason, so any inkling of a possible budget increase is welcome news for their fans.
Lin lists Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman as an arm that has long been on the Padres’ radar, but there’s no indication the Red Sox are looking to sell any pieces yet despite a poor 22-27 start to their season. Lin also speculates on possible interest in a Josh Hader reunion. With a $19MM annual salary on a Houston club that’s 11 games under .500, Hader makes a sensible target. That’s doubly true given the Padres’ thin farm system. If Hader hits the market and new ownership is indeed willing to boost the payroll, the Friars could offer to take on the majority or entirety of the Hader contract in order to reduce the prospect cost. Hader hasn’t pitched this season due to biceps tendinitis and ended last year on the shelf with a shoulder injury. There’s nothing to suggest the two parties have actually discussed parameters of a trade, but on paper, the match makes sense.
Other relief names who could hit the market at some point in the next couple months include Antonio Senzatela, Steven Okert, Bryan Abreu, Brooks Raley, Matt Strahm, Anthony Bender, Taylor Rogers and Andrew Kittredge, to name just a few. The market will begin to take clearer shape in the weeks ahead, but if any club decides to signal an earlier-than-usual willingness to part with some veteran talent, it sounds as though the Padres will be willing to engage in discussions to strengthen an already potent collection of relievers.
Braves Claim Maverick Handley
The Braves on Thursday claimed catcher Maverick Handley off waivers from the Orioles, per a team announcement. Righty Hurston Waldrep moves from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move. Handley was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Handley, 28, was the Orioles’ sixth-round pick in 2019. He’s spent his entire career in the organization. Over the past year, he’s been on and off Baltimore’s 40-man roster and up and down between Baltimore and the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. Handley has only 48 big league plate appearances and has gone just 3-for-42 in that time. It’s not a good big league track record, clearly, but Handley logged a .258/.373/.367 slash in Triple-A last year. He’s regularly posted lofty walk rates in the minors, and he’s regarded as a quality defender.
Handley isn’t going to jump right onto the big league roster, but he gives an injury-decimated Atlanta catching corps some depth. The Braves recently put star backstop Drake Baldwin on the injured list due to an oblique strain. He’s likely looking at a weekslong absence. Veteran complement Sean Murphy isn’t an option at the moment. After spending the early portion of the season rehabbing from hip surgery, he suffered a broken middle finger and is sidelined for another two months or so.
That’s left the Braves with a light-hitting catching tandem of Sandy León and Chadwick Tromp. Both are decent defenders who can’t be expected to hit in the majors. That’s true of Handley as well, to an extent, though he at least has quality on-base numbers in the minors thanks to his penchant for drawing walks. León and Tromp both regularly post on-base percentages in the .250 range.
Waldrep’s move to the 60-day IL is purely procedural. It does nothing to impact his timetable to return. The talented young righty underwent spring surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow. Since his IL placement was retroactive to three days prior to Opening Day — the maximum allowed — he’s already effectively spent 60 days on the IL. Moving from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL doesn’t reset the required minimum, but it does open a 40-man spot. Waldrep isn’t on a minor league rehab assignment yet anyhow, so he’s not especially close to returning, but this won’t change anything when he’s finally ready to be activated.
Astros Outright Cody Bolton
Astros right-hander Cody Bolton went unclaimed on waivers following this week’s DFA and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, the team announced this afternoon. It’s the first outright of his career and he has fewer than three years of MLB service, so he won’t have the option to reject in favor of free agency. Bolton will remain with the organization as non-roster depth in the upper minors.
Bolton, 28 next month, has pitched 20 innings out of the Houston ‘pen this season and been tagged for a dozen runs (5.40 ERA) on 21 hits and 14 walks. Three of those hits have been home runs. He’s fanned 22 of the 95 batters he’s faced (23.2%) despite a paltry 6.6% swinging-strike rate and 22.8% opponents’ chase rate. (League-average in both regards would be 10.8% and 32.5%, respectively.)
Bolton entered the season with only 42 major league frames under his belt. He’s now pitched for four clubs, having previously suited up for the Pirates, Guardians and Mariners as well. Bolton has a deep arsenal, headlined by a fastball that sits 95.1 mph. He also works in a cutter and changeup both averaging about 90 mph, a 94.5 mph sinker, a low-80s slider and, as of this season, an upper-70s curveball.
Although his work in the big leagues has produced an ERA north of 5.00, Bolton has pitched in parts of five Triple-A seasons and worked to a combined 3.32 ERA with a 24.8% strikeout rate and an 11% walk rate. Houston’s bullpen has been among the worst in the sport this season, so Bolton could find himself with another opportunity later this year if he can go on a nice run in Sugar Land.
Braves Select Carlos Carrasco
Carlos Carrasco is back with the Braves — again. Atlanta announced this morning that the veteran right-hander’s contract was selected from Triple-A Gwinnett. Carrasco takes the open spot on the 40-man roster that was vacated by yesterday’s DFA of outfielder Jose Azocar. Righty Victor Mederos was optioned to Gwinnett to clear an active roster spot.
It’s already the third stint of the season for Carrasco and his fourth since last August. He and the Braves are comfortable with a setup that sees the 39-year-old veteran operate as effectively the 41st man on Atlanta’s 40-man roster. They’ve designated Carrasco for assignment twice this season (thrice since last August). Each time, he’s cleared waivers, elected free agency and almost immediately re-signed on a new minor league deal. That sequence seems likely to play out here as well.
Carrasco has pitched well in the Braves organization this season. He’s tossed 2 1/3 shutout frames in the majors and worked to a flat 3.00 ERA in six starts (30 innings) in Gwinnett. Carrasco’s 90.4 mph average sinker and 91.1 mph average four-seamer with the Stripers are both the second-lowest marks of his career, but he’s still sporting a respectable 21% strikeout rate with excellent walk and ground-ball rates of 5.6% and 51.1%, respectively.
The Braves don’t necessarily need extra length today. The bullpen is fresh. Chris Sale tossed seven dominant innings in yesterday’s 9-1 rout of the Marlins and was relieved by Mederos, who tossed two scoreless frames to close out the game. Mederos probably wasn’t going to be available today anyhow, so it’s not a surprise to see him optioned out. The rest of Atlanta’s relief corps is on at least one day’s rest — and several have rested for two or more consecutive days now.
Carrasco will be available in long relief for however long Atlanta keeps him in the majors. A third DFA is probably on the horizon at some point, since he can’t be optioned. The Braves have Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, Grant Holmes and Martín Pérez lined up for their next four starts. It’s plausible that at some point Carrasco fails to make it through waivers because a rotation-needy team picks him up based on his solid work in Triple-A, but as long as he keeps clearing waivers, it seems this Jesse Chavez-esque cycle will be the norm for him with the Braves in 2026.
Pirates Getting Jared Triolo Work In Right Field
Pirates utilityman Jared Triolo is on the roster largely because of his defensive versatility and aptitude around the infield. He’s seen time at all four infield spots over the years and is generally regarded as a quality defender. The Bucs have recently began to expand that defensive portfolio even further. Triolo has logged time in right field in each of his past three games — two of them starts. He was out of the lineup tonight against the Cardinals.
Triolo had never started a major league game in the outfield prior to this past weekend. He made seven starts in center at the Double-A level in 2022 and logged six innings in right field (two in the majors, four in Triple-A) from 2024-25. That represented the entirety of his professional in-game experience in the outfield until Monday’s start on the grass, though Triolo says he’s been working with coaches Tony Beasley and Tarrik Brock on the side (link via Danny Demilio of Pittsburgh Baseball Now).
It’s always of some note when a player can expand his defensive versatility, and there’s reason to think Triolo can provide solid glovework in the outfield. Statcast places him in the 84th percentile of big leaguers in terms of sprint speed, so he certainly has the ability to cover ground. His average velocity on his throws across the diamond from the hot corner is below average but not egregiously so.
For the Bucs, if Triolo proves capable of playing the outfield on even an occasional basis, there’d be plenty of roster advantages. Many clubs use the DH spot to rotate players and maximize matchups, but Pittsburgh signed Marcell Ozuna to DH on an everyday basis, so it’s all the more important that their bench players have multiple positions in their skill set. Ozuna has struggled badly this year, but even if the Pirates move on and go with a more rotational approach, Triolo playing a decent corner would give them more flexibility with regard to how they round out their bench and even who they could target as the trade deadline approaches.
In the more immediate sense, Triolo’s outfield experiment gives skipper Don Kelly additional options to consider when navigating what’s expected to be a roughly monthlong absence for slugger Ryan O’Hearn, who’s spent the bulk of his time in right field this year. Prospect Jhostynxon Garcia is likely to get plenty of chances out there in O’Hearn’s absence, but Triolo makes a nice righty-swinging complement to Jake Mangum among the team’s reserve options; he hit .275/.339/.459 in 122 plate appearances against lefties last season.
It’d behoove Triolo to increase his overall productivity at the plate, however. He’s received sparse playing time in 2026 and slashed just .259/.310/.296 in 59 plate appearances. In parts of four seasons with the Pirates, he’s stepped into the batter’s box 1090 times and delivered a tepid .238/.320/.344 line (86 wRC+). But if there’s not much more in the tank, adding outfield to his skill set also benefits him as he approaches arbitration this winter and potentially exhausts his remaining option years. Triolo hasn’t been sent down in 2026 but has just one minor league option year remaining. If he’s sent down for 20 days at any point this season, he’ll need to stick on the roster in subsequent seasons or else be designated for assignment.
J.P. Crawford Getting Work At Third Base
Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford has been getting work at the hot corner and was taking grounders there prior to today’s game. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com was among those to report that the idea was actually brought up by Crawford, who approached manager Dan Wilson about the possibility this weekend. Crawford’s agent subsequently ran it by general manager Justin Hollander. All parties seem to be on board with seeing what it might look like.
Crawford’s openness to sliding off shortstop comes in conjunction with top prospect Colt Emerson reaching the majors. Seattle inked the 20-year-old to a record-setting eight-year, $95MM contract before he took a single plate appearance in the majors. Emerson made his big league debut earlier this week and promptly deposited a ball over the right field fence, making his first big league hit a three-run big fly. The 2023 first-rounder (No. 22 overall) is currently the third-ranked prospect in the entire game, per Baseball America.
Emerson has played both third base and shortstop in his first three big league games, but he’s spent the overwhelming majority of his career at shortstop (2074 innings, compared to 175 at third base). The Mariners surely envision him as their shortstop of the future — particularly with Crawford set to become a free agent at season’s end.
From Crawford’s vantage point, the experiment makes good sense. It’s a team-first approach in the short term, allowing Emerson to perhaps claim the spot the Mariners hope him to occupy well into the 2030s, but it also expands his own defensive versatility ahead of his first trip to the open market. Crawford’s defensive grades have declined in recent years, particularly over the past season-plus. If he can grade out more effectively at the hot corner, that’ll only make him more appealing while Emerson acclimates to the majors at his natural position.
Third base isn’t entirely new for Crawford, but it’s been quite some time since he logged any game action there. He has 174 innings at the position in his career, all coming in 2017-18 with the Phillies — the team that originally drafted him. He has another 78 minor league innings at the position.
While there’s some current opportunity to test things out, a more permanent move to third base might not be a possibility for Crawford just yet. The Mariners placed Brendan Donovan on the 10-day IL due to a groin strain this week. He’ll be shut down entirely for two to three weeks before resuming baseball activity. It doesn’t seem he’s ticketed for an especially long-term absence.
A healthy Donovan could slot right back in at third base, but he’s also comfortable playing second base and the outfield corners. Cole Young has been fine at second base but hasn’t exactly seized the position with a dominant performance. Outfield/DH options like Dominic Canzone and Luke Raley have quality season-long numbers but have begun to cool after blistering starts to the 2026 campaign. Time will tell how all of them are faring in a few weeks, but there are certainly scenarios where Donovan factors in at a position other than third base — the only position he’s played so far in 2026.
Crawford, 31, is in the final season of a five-year, $51MM contract. He missed time early on due to a shoulder injury and has been slowed recently by a triceps issue that doesn’t seem like it’ll send him to the injured list. He was originally slated to play shortstop and lead off for Seattle, but the Mariners scratched him a couple hours before first pitch. He’s turned in a tepid .210 batting average but has ridden a career-best 16.5% walk rate to a big .358 on-base percentage.
This year’s uncommonly low average is due primarily to a .220 average on balls in play that’s about 70 points shy of league average and Crawford’s own career .293 mark. He’s actually striking out less than ever (and less often than he walks), at a 15.9% rate. Crawford’s batted-ball metrics and bat speed are right in line with his typical levels. Statcast credits him for an expected .256 batting average and .418 slugging percentage, suggesting better days at the plate might not be all that far off.
Diamondbacks Release Joe Ross
The D-backs released veteran right-hander Joe Ross, who’d been pitching with their Triple-A affiliate in Reno, per the MiLB.com transaction log.
Ross signed a minor league deal with the Snakes over the winter and cracked the Opening Day roster. He pitched only 3 2/3 innings before being designated for assignment, at which point he cleared waivers, elected free agency and returned to the organization on a new minor league contract. He’s been pitching with Reno since.
It’s been a decent year for Ross with the D-backs’ top affiliate. He’s tossed 21 innings, working mostly in long relief, and posted a 4.29 earned run average in that hitter-friendly setting. The 32-year-old (33 tomorrow) has just a 14% strikeout rate on the year, but he’s offset that lack of whiffs with a 5.8% walk rate, a 47.8% grounder rate and plenty of light contact (87.7 mph average exit velocity, 38% hard-hit rate).
Ross has pitched in parts of nine big league seasons and sits just one day shy of eight years of major league service. He showed glimpses of breaking out as a quality big league starter early in his career, but much like his older brother (Tyson Ross) was routinely set back by injuries. He’s had a pair of Tommy John surgeries in his career in addition to a procedure to remove bone spurs from his elbow. Ross has also had multiple IL stints due to lower back injuries and shoulder troubles.
Ross had a nice season with the ’24 Brewers, tossing 74 innings with a 3.77 ERA and rate stats that were only slightly worse than league average. He was hit hard in a partial season with the ’25 Phillies though, yielding a 5.12 ERA with a career-low 17.1% strikeout rate. Overall, the big 6’4″ righty has a 4.37 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate and 43% ground-ball rate in 572 major league frames.
Teams in need of some length in the bullpen and/or rotation depth could take a minimal-risk flier on Ross now that he’s a free agent again. He’s stretched out enough for a swingman role right now and could be built up to a starter’s workload without much issue; Ross has a pair of three-inning outings on the books already, the most recent coming early this month. He’s been sitting 95.6 mph with his four-seamer and 96.2 mph with his sinker in Reno. Both would be career-best marks.
Rockies Designate Blaine Crim For Assignment
The Rockies announced Wednesday that first baseman Blaine Crim has been designated for assignment. His 40-man roster spot goes to veteran righty Keegan Thompson, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Albuquerque. Colorado placed right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik on the 15-day injured list due to ulnar nerve inflammation in his right arm.
Crim joined the Rockies last August when they claimed him off waivers from the Rangers. He went on to rip five homers in only 15 games and 61 plate appearances, though his .295 on-base percentage and huge 36% strikeout rate both tamped down reason for optimism. This season’s .265/.339/.449 slash in Triple-A looks solid at first glance, but in the ultra-hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, it’s about 13% worse than league-average (by measure of wRC+).
The 29-year-old Crim has played in parts of five Triple-A seasons, slashing a combined .281/.370/.479 in 1882 trips to the plate. It’s about 11% better than average, and Crim has turned in encouraging strikeout and walk rates of 18.4% and 11.5%, respectively, along the way. Crim, however, has well below-average speed (21st percentile in 2025, per Statcast) and is limited to first base and designated hitter. He’s been passed over in multiple Rule 5 Drafts and has now been designated for assignment twice in the past eight months, so it seems many big league clubs are skeptical of his ability to carry that production over to the majors.
The Rockies might have had an opening for Crim at first base this year, but offseason acquisitions of TJ Rumfield (from the Yankees for reliever Angel Chivilli) and Edouard Julien (from the Twins for prospect Jace Kaminska) pushed him down the depth chart.
Crim’s solid track record in the upper minors could potentially hold appeal to other clubs in need of some right-handed punch and/or help at first base/designated hitter. He’s in the second of three minor league option years, so a new club wouldn’t need to carry him on the major league roster right away. He’ll be traded or placed on waivers within the next five days, and we’ll know the outcome of his DFA within a week’s time.
The 31-year-old Thompson, another waiver claim (from the Reds), cleared waivers earlier this season but now joins the big league roster after a nice run in Albuquerque. He’s appeared in 11 games, five of them starts, and posted a 3.34 ERA in 32 1/3 innings. He’s only struck out 13.1% of his opponents, which is a concern, but his 7.1% walk rate is strong and his 43.6% ground-ball rate is a hair north of average.
Thompson has pitched in four big league seasons, all with the Cubs. He owns a career 3.64 ERA, 23% strikeout rate and 11.3% walk rate in 227 2/3 major league innings. He’s sitting 92.2 mph on his four-seamer this season, down from his 93.9 peak as a rookie in 2021.
Thompson adds some length to a Rockies bullpen that could use extra innings. Starters Chase Dollander and Ryan Feltner are both on the injured list, which has pushed Tanner Gordon, at least in effect. Gordon hasn’t started a game but has worked behind an opener his past couple times out. He’s sitting on a 6.59 ERA in 27 1/3 frames this season, however. Looking up and down the rest of Colorado’s rotation, Tomoyuki Sugano is the only starter who’s averaged even five innings per start. Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana and Kyle Freeland are all averaging about 4 2/3 frames per trip the mound, underscoring the need for a reliever like Thompson who can work several innings at a time.
As for the 26-year-old Vodnik, he started the season well, yielding only two runs in his first nine innings. He’s been rocked over the past month, however. In his past 10 appearances, he’s totaled only nine innings and been shelled for 14 runs on 15 hits and nine walks with 11 strikeouts. The flamethrowing righty has been far better in the past couple seasons, logging 124 1/3 innings of 3.76 ERA ball.
Vodnik doesn’t miss as many bats as one might expect for a reliever who averages nearly 99 mph on his heater, but he’s a clearly talented righty who’s been in the Rox’ late-inning mix since 2024. If a trip to the injured list helps him right the ship, he’ll likely factor back into the closer committee alongside Antonio Senzatela and Juan Mejia.
Twins Grant Releases To Matt Bowman, John Brebbia
The Twins granted right-handers Matt Bowman and John Brebbia their releases Wednesday, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic and Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Both veteran relievers were pitching with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul, and both triggered opt-out clauses in their contracts on Sunday. The Twins had until this afternoon to add one or both to the 40-man roster or allow them to become free agents. They’ve gone with the latter option in both cases.
Bowman, 34, has pitched in parts of seven big league seasons. That includes a 2024 run with Minnesota, during which he tossed 7 2/3 decent innings. He carries a 4.38 ERA in 240 2/3 major league innings split among seven clubs. Bowman has a below-average 18.7% strikeout rate but a solid 8% walk rate and a very strong 52.3% ground-ball rate. He’s been excellent in Triple-A thus far, totaling 21 1/3 innings with a 1.69 ERA, a 28.1% strikeout rate and a 6.7% walk rate.
Bowman doesn’t throw particularly hard, by today’s standards. He’s sitting 91.8 mph on his sinker this year, which is below average but a slight bit north of his career 91.3 mph mark. Bowman complements the pitch with a 90 mph cutter and a splitter and slider that both reside in the low 80s. He doesn’t overwhelm opponents but also has neutral platoon splits in his career; lefties have hit .249/.322/.402 against him, while righties are at .245/.307/.383.
The 35-year-old Brebbia has the lengthier MLB track record but hasn’t pitched as well in 2026 (or in general, over the past few seasons). He has eight years of major league service to Bowman’s five, and Brebbia has worked to a 4.04 ERA in 378 1/3 big league frames. Broadly speaking, he’s missed bats and limited walks at better-than-average levels (25.6% and 7.5%, respectively), but the past few years haven’t been kind to the well-traveled righty. He’s pitched 78 2/3 innings between three teams — White Sox, Braves, Tigers — and been rocked for a 6.41 earned run average. Home runs have been his Achilles heel during that time. He’s averaged 1.83 dingers per nine innings pitched.
Brebbia has tossed 20 1/3 innings with the Saints this year but stumbled to a 6.20 ERA that closely mirrors his major league work from 2024-25. He’s punched out more than 28% of his opponents but has also issued walks at a 10.9% clip and served up four homers (1.77 HR/9). He started the season brilliantly, allowing just one run with a 17-to-3 K/BB ratio in his first 10 2/3 frames, but Brebbia has since been tagged for 13 runs in 9 2/3 innings. All four of his homers allowed have come in that span, and he’s walked nearly as many batters (seven) as he’s set down on strikes (nine).
It’s still possible both players will return to the Twins. That’s relatively common for journeyman veterans who trigger midseason opt-out clauses. Heyman suggests that Bowman could have a major league offer waiting somewhere else, however, which wouldn’t be all that surprising with how well he’s pitched. If anything, it’s at least a mild surprise that the Twins themselves wouldn’t find a way to take a look at Bowman in the majors. Minnesota relievers have the third-worst ERA in baseball.
Rays Select Oliver Dunn
The Rays announced that they have selected the contract of just-acquired infielder Oliver Dunn from Triple-A Durham. He’ll take the active roster spot of fellow infielder Ben Williamson, who’s headed to the 10-day injured list due to a lower back strain. The Rays acquired Dunn from the White Sox in exchange for lefty Joe Rock last night.
Tampa Bay also reinstated veteran left-hander Steven Matz from the 15-day injured list and optioned righty Chase Solesky to Durham in a corresponding move. Matz will start today’s game, per the team.
Dunn, 28, doesn’t have an impressive big league track record but has been on a tear with the Sox’ top affiliate in Charlotte this season. He’s a .206/.261/.290 in parts of two seasons (145 plate appearances) with the Brewers, but Dunn has raked at a .295/.393/.545 clip with the Knights this season. He’s connected on nine homers, gone 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts and walked at a stout 13.1% clip (against a 23.5% strikeout rate).
Dunn gives the Rays a left-handed bat with some versatility to step in for Williamson, who’s seen time at second base, shortstop and third base for the Rays this season while batting .268/.349/.349 (99 wRC+). Dunn hasn’t played shortstop in the majors but has 262 minor league innings there (196 across the past two seasons). He has ample experience at third base and second base in addition to more limited work in left field and at first base.