Brewers Designate Greg Jones For Assignment
The Brewers announced that both outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn have been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. In corresponding moves, outfielder Blake Perkins has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville and infielder/outfielder Greg Jones has been designated for assignment.
The returns of Chourio and Vaughn should provide a sizable boost to a Brewers lineup that has relied heavily on complementary pieces in recent weeks. Milwaukee has a pair of 13-run outbursts in its past 11 games but has also been held to four or fewer runs seven times in that span. Much of the recent uptick in offense came against a D-backs staff that’s been struggling enormously over the past few weeks.
Chourio, 22, has missed the whole seasons thus far after suffering a fractured hand during exhibition play this spring. He went 1-for-9 with three walks in a brief three-game minor league rehab stint. The Brewers are hoping that the dynamic outfielder can recreate something close to — ideally better than — his career .272/.316/.463 slash (115 wRC+) with only minimal rehab work.
Similarly, Vaughn notched only one hit in three rehab games before his reinstatement. The former No. 3 overall pick enjoyed one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent memory last year after going from Chicago to Milwaukee in a trade. Vaughn arrived in the Brewers organization with a career .248/.303/.407 batting line but erupted with a .308/.375/.493 batting line in 64 games down the stretch. He belted nine homers in 254 trips to the plate — then tacked on another two postseason taters in 30 plate appearances. Vaughn posted an outrageous .367/.436/.612 line in 55 spring plate appearances before incurring a hamate fracture that required surgery.
Jones went 2-for-21 in his brief time with the Brewers. He drew one walk, stole a base and struck out nine times in 22 plate appearances (40.9%). The 2019 first-rounder (Rays) only had 30 big league plate appearances to his credit. He’s spent parts of four seasons in Triple-A, where he’s a .262/.344/.438 hitter. Jones was drafted as a shortstop but has worked primarily as an outfielder in recent seasons. He has top-of-the-scale speed but marginal power and a bottom-of-the-scale hit tool that’s regularly produced strikeout rates north of 33% in Triple-A.
The Brewers will have five days to trade Jones, release him or place him on outright waivers. Outright waivers would be another 48-hour process, meaning Jones’ DFA will be resolved within a week’s time. He doesn’t have three years of major league service and has never cleared waivers before, so if he goes unclaimed this time around, he’ll be assigned outright to Nashville. He’d no longer count against the 40-man roster but would remain in the organization.
Red Sox Select Alec Gamboa
The Red Sox announced they have selected the contract of left-hander Alec Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com first reported that Gamboa was on a flight to Detroit and likely to be added after exercising an upward mobility clause. He takes the active roster spot of fellow lefty Danny Coulombe, who has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to cervical spasms, retroactive to May 2nd. To open a 40-man spot, lefty Patrick Sandoval has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
Gamboa will take the mound as a 29-year-old rookie when he’s first plugged into a game. The 2019 Dodgers ninth-rounder spent years climbing the ranks in L.A.’s system but never reached the majors. The Dodgers granted him his release last year in order to sign with the KBO’s Lotte Giants, and Gamboa wound up making 19 starts with a 3.58 ERA in 108 innings in that overseas run. He fanned just under one quarter of his opponents, issued walks at a 10.3% clip and recorded a 55.2% ground-ball rate. Both his ERA and FIP were about 20% better than league average in South Korea’s hitter-friendly environment.
That showing prompted the Sox to bring Gamboa aboard on a minor league deal. He only pitched two spring innings and has tossed 13 frames in Worcester. The 6.23 ERA he’s turned in thus far isn’t going to generate much excitement, but Gamboa has a nice 25.4% strikeout rate with a solid 8.5% walk rate and a huge 57.9% grounder rate. He’s been plagued by a mammoth .405 average on balls in play that’s sure to regress closer to the .290 league average.
This move will keep the Sox with an even split in their bullpen for now. They have been operating with four lefties and four righties. Coming into today, the southpaws were Aroldis Chapman, Jovani Morán, Tyler Samaniego and Coulombe. It’s unclear how long Coulombe is expected to be out but Gamboa will slot in for him.
Presumably, Gamboa has a full slate of options, since this is his first major league call-up. Sometimes, a player coming to North America from overseas will get language in his contract stating that he can’t be sent to the minors without his consent, though it’s unlikely that a minor league contract would have such a provision. Samaniego has options if the Sox need a fresh arm at some point.
As for Sandoval, he still hasn’t pitched in the majors since June of 2024. He underwent surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament that month and has been in recovery mode ever since. The Angels non-tendered him at the end of that year, which led to the Sox signing him to a two-year deal worth $18.25MM.
Boston knew that they likely wouldn’t get much from Sandoval in 2025 but presumably hoped he would be back on the mound by now. He began a rehab assignment a few weeks ago but that was shut down after just two outings due to some biceps soreness.
His current timeline is unclear but this transaction rules out any chance of him returning in the next few weeks. His 60-day count is retroactive to his season-opening placement on the 15-day IL but that still means he’s ineligible for reinstatement until late May.
Boston’s rotation was supposed to be a strength but injuries have really impacted them. In addition to Sandoval, they have Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Kutter Crawford, Johan Oviedo and Tanner Houck on the IL. Ranger Suárez hasn’t been placed on the IL but did depart his most recent start with a hamstring strain. For now, assuming Suárez avoids the IL, he is surrounded by Brayan Bello, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and Jake Bennett in the rotation. Bello has a 9.12 ERA and would probably be in the minors if not for all these injuries. Unless he gets back on track soon, he could be in an awkward spot as guys come off the IL.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Happy Monday! (Or, happy Bryce Eldridge and/or Joe Mack Day, to those who observe)
- I'll get going in about 90 mins, but feel free to send in some questions ahead of time.
- Greetings. Sorry to be a couple minutes late -- Skubal news dropped out of nowhere.
- Let's get going!
Mike
- With Grichik DFA do you think Jasson Domínguez will stay with the team as their 4th outfielder?
Steve Adams
- It does no good to have Dominguez sitting more often than not. He should be playing every day, whether that's in Triple-A or in the majors. Shrugging and putting him in a bench role would seemingly be acknowledging that they don't think he has an everyday spot down the line.
Tony
- Nolan gorman? Has he showed enough to get another year? Doesn't seem to be anyone pushing him
Steve Adams
- I guess he has the K% down under 30, so that's something. But in general, he's not walking, not hitting the ball all that hard ... This is a guy who's coming up on four years of big league service and he's a below-average hitter still. I just don't see much cause to keep trotting him out there.They may not have a high-end prospect pushing him, but either of Blaze Jordan or Cesar Prieto could get a look at some point. Jordan's probably more of a 1B, but they're still playing him at the hot corner in AAA.Barring a big surge -- for which there's still plenty of time -- I just don't see why you keep running him out there in a regular role beyond the current season.
Guest
- What are the Braves doing with James Karinchek? With all of their bullpen issues, I think he deserves a chance.
Steve Adams
- ERA looks nice, but he's walking 11-12% of his opponents in AAA with a below-average swinging-stirke and chase rate, and he's sitting 92-93 mph with his fastball. He was 97+ when he debuted.I wouldn't have an issue giving him a look, but my expectations would be pretty tepid even if they did. Or probably, more accurately, "when they do." I'd imagine he gets a look at some point in the not too distant future (no inside intel there -- just saying based on his performance, injuries in the 'pen, fact that he still has an option left once he's selected, etc)
Mariners Rotation
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- When Bryce Miller comes back later this month, who is the odd man out of the Mariners rotation or does Miller start in the pen. No way they would move Hancock to the pen, as he has been the Mariners most consistent starter all year, right?
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Tarik Skubal To Undergo Surgery To Remove Loose Bodies From Elbow
The Tigers received a gut-punch medical update, as ace Tarik Skubal is headed for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, manager A.J. Hinch tells the team’s beat (link via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com). A timetable for his recovery has not yet been determined, but Skubal will obviously be placed on the 15-day injured list for now. The Tigers will recall righty Ty Madden and go with a bullpen game opened by Tyler Holton in Skubal’s place tonight.
Skubal has been his typically excellent self so far in 2026. He’s started seven games, totaled 43 1/3 innings and notched a tidy 2.70 ERA to begin the season. His average fastball is down about a mile per hour relative to last year’s 97.6 mph peak, but this year’s 96.6 mph average is right in line with his 2024 levels, when he won the first of his two Cy Young trophies. Skubal has fanned 27.1% of his opponents against a superlative 3.6% walk rate.
Though it may not be the strongest start of Skubal’s career, his track record makes him the consensus top pitcher in the American League — if not all of MLB. Losing him for what will surely be an extended period is brutal for the Tigers, particularly given the team’s lackluster start to the season. Detroit is 18-17, tied with Cleveland for first place in the American League Central. Had the Tigers rushed out to a big lead, the loss of their ace — while still demoralizing — might have been easier to weather. Instead, their pedestrian play thus far has kept even the last-place Twins (15-20) within three games of a share of the division lead.
Every injury is different, but precedent suggests that Skubal should still be able to return to the mound this year. He’s not even a lock to be placed on the 60-day IL. Illustrating the variety of possible outcomes here, Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both underwent surgery to remove loose bodies within days of each other this spring. Schwellenbach was immediately placed on the 60-day IL and still hasn’t begun throwing despite a nearly two-month layoff. Waldrep, meanwhile, was never placed on the 60-day IL and is set to throw bullpen sessions this week. He could feasibly return by late May or early June.
Cautioning that the absence might “only” be two to three months isn’t much of a silver lining for Detroit fans, but it’s still noteworthy that Skubal has a very real chance of being back later this summer — possibly with a decent portion of the season left. In the meantime, however, the Tigers’ rotation depth is being put through the wringer.
Skubal joins Casey Mize, Justin Verlander and Reese Olson on the injured list. Mize is dealing with a groin strain. Verlander has inflammation in his hip. Olson underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the entire 2026 season. Prized young righty Jackson Jobe is also on the 60-day injured list while he continues his yearlong rehab from last June’s Tommy John surgery. Jobe could potentially be an option in July or August. It’s possible he and Skubal will be ramping up to return to the rotation around the same time, even. Another promising young right-hander, Troy Melton, has been out all season due to an elbow strain.
With so many pitchers on the shelf, the Tigers will go with Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty and Keider Montero atop the rotation for the time being. Swingman Drew Anderson is an obvious candidate for the rotation. He’s posted a 5.12 ERA in 19 1/3 innings of relief this season but was dominant in the Korea Baseball Organization last year and signed a one-year, $7MM contract in free agency this winter. Anderson’s 26.5% strikeout rate, 10.8% walk rate and 13.7% swinging-strike rate all suggest that his ERA ought to be a fair bit lower; metrics like SIERA (3.45) and xERA (4.06) are far more bullish on his work.
Righty Sawyer Gipson-Long is on the 40-man roster down in Triple-A and could get a look at some point. Several of the Tigers’ minor league arms — Jake Miller, Troy Watson, Joseph Montalvo — are on the injured list in Triple-A and Double-A as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Detroit try to go outside the organization for some more depth, though it’s in short supply this time of season. Mize and Verlander will have spots waiting for them upon return, but Verlander has been down about a month already and isn’t yet on a rehab assignment, while the Tigers haven’t given a clear indication of how long Mize will be shelved.
The more immediate concern is how the Tigers navigate this injury and what it does to their chances in the American League Central, of course. However, Skubal’s surgery and how he pitches upon returning also cloud what could be the most lucrative trip to free agency for any pitcher in history.
Skubal clearly won’t be winning a third straight Cy Young Award now. A setback, a longer-than-anticipated rehab process and/or poor performance upon returning from the injured list could all impact what was shaping up to be the loftiest earning power of any pitcher in MLB history. If he makes it back to the mound midsummer and immediately snaps back into old form, it’s possible the injury won’t ultimately weigh down his contract much, but there are too many unknowns right now to gauge the situation with any semblance of certainty.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported that Skubal was being scratched from his start tonight.
Tommy Kahnle Likely To Stay With Red Sox
May 4: Kahnle is likely to stay with Triple-A Worcester, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
May 1: Kahnle has triggered the assignment clause, reports Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston. The Sox will know by Sunday whether another team is willing to carry him on the MLB roster.
April 30: Veteran right-hander Tommy Kahnle, currently pitching with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, has an upward mobility clause in his deal that he can trigger tomorrow, writes Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The clause was reported at the time of Kahnle’s signing in Boston, but it still bears mentioning with the seasoned setup man pitching well in the upper minors at present.
If triggered, an upward mobility clause would push the Sox to make Kahnle available to all 29 other clubs. If any other club would put him on its major league roster, the Red Sox would either have to select Kahnle to their own 40-man roster or, if they’re not willing to do so, allow him to depart to an organization that would put him in the major league bullpen. Such clauses are common in minor league deals for veteran players.
Through the season’s first month, Kahnle has done a nice job trying to force Boston’s hand. The 36-year-old has pitched 8 1/3 innings out of the Worcester bullpen, allowing three earned runs (3.24 ERA) on eight hits and three walks. He’s fanned eight of the 36 batters he’s faced (22.2%), hasn’t allowed a home run and has done a decent job avoiding too much hard contact (88.3 mph average exit velocity, no barrels, 41.7% hard-hit rate).
Kahnle’s 92.7 mph average fastball would be the lowest of his career, although through the first month of the 2025 season in Detroit, he wasn’t much higher (93.1 mph). He sat 93.6 mph the rest of the way. It seems reasonable to expect Kahnle’s heater to gain a bit of life as he continues to build up this season, but the four-seamer is a secondary pitch for him anyhow; Kahnle is perhaps the foremost changeup specialist in the game. This season’s 59.5% usage rate on his changeup is actually a stark decrease relative to recent seasons. From 2022-25, Kahnle threw 79% changeups against just 18.7% fastballs with a very, very occasional slider (2.4%) mixed in to throw some hitters off balance.
Although he’s coming off a lackluster season with the Tigers — hence the minor league deal — Kahnle has a lengthy track record of success in the majors. He’s been hurt more frequently than he or the teams for which he’s pitched would prefer, but from 2016-24, the right-hander logged a combined 3.11 ERA, 31.1% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate in 271 2/3 innings between the White Sox, Yankees and Dodgers.
It’s not clear whether the Red Sox would be amenable to adding Kahnle to the big league bullpen. Relief pitching has been a strength in an otherwise disappointing season for Boston. Sox relievers have combined for a 3.67 ERA that ranks eighth-best in the majors. The only Red Sox relievers who can be optioned are Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly and Tyler Samaniego. Plugging Kahnle into the ‘pen would give the Red Sox a sixth reliever who cannot be sent down without being exposed to waivers.
The decision will belong to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, but interim skipper Chad Tracy — who managed Kahnle for several weeks to begin the season — sounded amenable to the idea. Asked by Smith just yesterday whether Kahnle could help the big league club, Tracy replied:
“For a veteran of his caliber that’s been around, yes, he can help out. He’s been around the big leagues for a really long time. He knows how to pitch. He’s been here, he’s pitched in the playoffs. So absolutely can help out.”
If not the Red Sox, there seems to be a decent chance Kahnle could draw the interest of another club. Each of the Nationals, Cardinals, Twins, Royals, Angels and Astros have received a combined ERA of 5.00 or worse from their bullpen so far in 2026. The Phillies, Astros, Cubs and Marlins all have their closers on the injured list. Chicago’s Daniel Palencia is expected to return soon, but he’s one of six Cubs relievers on the shelf.
Andrew Chafin Opts Out Of Reds Deal
Veteran lefty Andrew Chafin triggered an opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Reds and is now a free agent, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
The 35-year-old Chafin has already been with two teams this season. He spent most of spring training with the Twins but was granted his release after being informed he wouldn’t make their Opening Day roster. Chafin posted good bottom-line results with shaky rate stats both in camp with the Twins and in Triple-A with the Reds. He tossed six spring innings and allowed only two runs; he struck out 20% of his opponents but also walked 12% of them. It’s been a similar story in Louisville with the Reds’ top affiliate. Chafin has allowed only one earned run in 9 1/3 frames (0.96 ERA) with a nearly average 21.6% strikeout rate, but he’s walked 16.2% of his opponents.
During spring training, Chafin sat just 85.7 mph with his four-seamer and sinker alike. He’s added some life back to both pitches as he’s ramped up, evidenced by his 88 mph average four-seamer and 87.7 mph sinker with the Reds’ Louisville club. Both, of course, are still bottom-of-the-scale velocity marks in today’s game. Chafin posted a 2.41 ERA in 33 2/3 big league innings last year while averaging 89.5 mph on his four-seamer and 89.7 mph on his sinker. That was the first time since his brief 14-inning MLB debut in 2014 that he averaged less than 91 mph on either pitch, however.
While some clubs may express trepidation over his diminishing velocity, Chafin has never been a hard thrower and has still found consistent success in the majors. He’s averaged just 91.5 mph on his four-seamer and sinker dating back to 2021 and still has a 3.03 ERA in that time. He’s fanned 26.7% of his opponents against a 10.3% walk rate along the way, tacking on a slightly above-average 43.3% grounder rate for good measure. Chafin has picked up 17 saves and 71 holds in that time. Overall, he has a 3.35 earned run average, 20 saves and 153 holds in parts of 12 major league seasons between the D-backs, Cubs, A’s, Tigers, Brewers, Rangers, Nationals and Angels.
There’s no shortage of teams in the league currently in need of some help in the bullpen. The Twins may regret opting not to carry him on the roster after their bullpen has predictably been a disaster (5.31 ERA — 28th in MLB). The Astros have MLB’s worst bullpen by ERA (6.20). Chafin’s former Angels sit between that pair with a 5.62 ERA on the season. The Brewers have three lefty relievers on the injured list. The Cubs have five relievers on the IL at the moment. Chafin’s track record ought to earn him a look with another club before too long.
Brewers’ Angel Zerpa Could Require Tommy John Surgery
MAY 3: Murphy specified to Rosiak and company today that Zerpa is weighing a Tommy John surgery.
MAY 1: The Brewers placed lefty Angel Zerpa on the injured list earlier this week after he experienced forearm tightness. Manager Pat Murphy suggested not long after that the southpaw could be facing a lengthy absence. Murphy provided another ominous update Friday, telling the Brewers beat that surgery is on the table (via Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).
A specific diagnosis remains unclear. Forearm tightness can be a precursor to a host of serious injuries for pitchers, including UCL and/or flexor tendon damage and irritation of the ulnar nerve, among other possibilities. The nature of the injury and the still under-consideration surgery will determine the length of absence, but it seems the Brewers shouldn’t plan on Zerpa returning anytime soon.
Milwaukee acquired Zerpa from the Royals in an offseason trade sending Isaac Collins and Nick Mears back to Kansas City. The Brewers sold high on both players — Collins in particular — in apparent hopes of acquiring a more controllable, hard-throwing lefty with big ground-ball numbers. Given Zerpa’s solid track record with K.C. and the Brewers’ success in coaxing new levels of performance out of players, there was reason to be optimistic about a potential breakout.
That hasn’t panned out in the slightest. Zerpa has appeared in a dozen games and been roughed up for 11 runs (nine earned) on 16 hits and six walks in just 12 2/3 frames. His 14.5% strikeout rate is among the lowest in the league, and his 10.9% walk rate is a career-worst mark. Zerpa’s sinker is averaging 95.6 mph — down a full mile per hour over last year’s average of 96.6 mph.
From 2021-25 in Kansas City, Zerpa combined to record a 3.97 ERA with a 19.7% strikeout rate, a 7% walk rate and a massive 57.1% grounder rate. He tended to struggle against right-handed opponents, but the Brewers presumably had some ideas about how to help him correct that problem.
With Zerpa increasingly looking like a 60-day IL candidate, any such hopes from the Brewers will be placed on hold. They control him through 2028, so there’s still some hope for down-the-road contributions even if he ends up requiring a major surgery. He’d need to be tendered a contract, but Zerpa is playing this season on a $1.095MM salary, so even the generally frugal Brewers wouldn’t find his salary to be a true roadblock.
Zerpa joined fellow southpaws Rob Zastryzny and Jared Koenig on the injured list when he landed there. Zastryzny is dealing with a back strain. Koenig has a UCL sprain that he’s currently trying to rehab without surgery.
Three lefty relievers on the injured list would normally deplete an organization’s supply, but the Brewers are deeper in southpaw bullpen arms than nearly any team in the sport. Even with Zerpa, Koenig and Zastryzny out, the have Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Shane Drohan and Brian Fitzpatrick in the MLB bullpen. Fitzpatrick was added to the roster after Zerpa’s injury and just recently made his big league debut. Ashby and Hall both have ERAs under 2.50 with big strikeout numbers but troubling command woes.
The Astros’ Ominous Long-Term Outlook
In case you're just tuning into the 2026 season, things aren't going great in Houston. The Astros escaped with a split in a doubleheader with the Orioles yesterday despite allowing a combined 15 runs in those games. They enter play Friday sitting on a 12-20 record. Houston's bullpen has been far and away the worst in baseball, due in no small part to star closer Josh Hader's lengthy stint on the IL to begin the season. Bryan Abreu went from arguably the game's best setup man to a low-leverage middle reliever in short order; his fastball is down more than two miles per hour, and his ERA sits just shy of 13.00. Veterans Enyel De Los Santos and Steven Okert were low-cost pickups last year who played big roles. Both have regressed (and then some) in 2026.
Meanwhile, a rotation that brought in several new arms this winter has only been marginally better. Again, injuries have played a role. Ace Hunter Brown is out with a shoulder strain. Offseason pickup Tatsuya Imai, a star righty in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, struggled before hitting the IL with arm fatigue. Cristian Javier is sidelined into at least June with his own shoulder strain. Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski are still on the mend from 2025 Tommy John surgery. Neither is expected back before the All-Star break.
The lineup has at least provided good production. Houston hitters are batting .265/.346/.438 as a team. A disproportionate amount of their production has come from slugger Yordan Alvarez, who's decimating opposing pitchers at an MVP-caliber clip, but he's not alone. Christian Walker has more than just righted the ship after an awful start in 2025 -- he's arguably hitting better than he ever has before. Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa have been comfortably better than average at the dish. Isaac Paredes has found his stride after a slow start himself.
Even on this side of the ball, however, the 'Stros have had challenges. Jeremy Peña has been limited to just 10 games thanks to a pair of injuries (broken finger, hamstring strain). Jake Meyers looked solid through a dozen games before an oblique strain sent him to the shelf. The reacquired Joey Loperfido was solid through 20 contests before straining his quad. In recent weeks, Houston has regularly trotted out lineups including players like Braden Shewmake, Daniel Johnson and Dustin Harris, each of whom was acquired simply because the club needed warm bodies and lacked depth.
That's a symptom of a much larger and more concerning trend in Houston -- one that calls into question the club's outlook well beyond the current season.
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Pirates Release Ryan Harbin
May 1: As expected, the MLB.com transaction log indicates that Harbin has been released. It stands to reason Pittsburgh will try to bring him back on a minor league contract.
April 29: Pirates right-hander Ryan Harbin has been designated for assignment, per a club announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to veteran reliever Chris Devenski, whose previously reported promotion to the major league roster is now official. Lefty Hunter Barco was optioned to Triple-A to open a 26-man roster spot for Devenski.
Harbin, 24, was the Pirates’ 17th-round pick back in 2019. The Bucs added him to the 40-man roster this past November in order to protect him from being selected by another organization in December’s Rule 5 Draft. He was rocked in his first taste of Triple-A last summer but had pitched 50 combined innings between High-A and Double-A prior to that, logging a 2.88 ERA with a massive 36% strikeout rate.
The 6’4″, 228-pound Harbin relies primarily on a three-pitch mix: a four-seamer that averaged 97.2 mph last year, a slider that sat 87 mph and a sinker that averaged 96.7 mph. He also mixed in a very occasional cutter (87.8 mph) and splitter (89.8 mph), though his usage rate on both pitches in Triple-A sat just north of 5%.
With a good start to the season in Triple-A, Harbin might have gotten his first big league look this year. Instead, injuries have derailed his season. Harbin suffered a strained teres major during spring training not long after being optioned to minor league camp. The Bucs put him on the 60-day injured list in the minors. He hasn’t pitched yet in 2026, and there’s no clear timetable for his return to the mound. Injured players cannot be placed on outright waivers, so now that he’s been designated for assignment, Harbin will either be traded to another club or released.
Joey Lucchesi Elects Free Agency
May 1: Lucchesi has again exercised free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. It wouldn’t be surprising if he again returns on a minor league deal.
April 29: The Angels recalled lefty Mitch Farris from Triple-A Salt Lake and designated fellow left-hander Joey Lucchesi for assignment, the club announced Wednesday.
Lucchesi was selected to the major league roster Sunday, marking his second stint of the season with the Halos. The 32-year-old pitched in Sunday’s game and again last night, combining for an inning of work and surrendering three runs. The well-traveled southpaw has totaled 3 1/3 frames in the majors with the Angels this season and been tagged for five runs on seven hits, six walks and a hit batter. He’s fanned four of his 24 opponents (16.7%).
Lucchhesi made 56 solid starts for the Padres in 2018-19, his first two seasons in the big leagues, but has since bounced around the league, working mostly as a reliever and swingman. Dating back to the 2020 season, he’s pitched 142 2/3 innings for four teams (Padres, Mets, Giants, Angels) and logged a 4.16 ERA with a 19.4% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate.
The Angels have already designated Lucchesi for assignment once this season. He passed through waivers unclaimed, elected free agency, and quickly re-signed on a new minor league contract. About two weeks later, he was back in the majors. A similar sequence could well play out again, though a team in need of some left-handed depth could always scoop him up to fill a short-term need. Lucchesi will be traded, placed on waivers or released within the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, meaning his latest DFA will be resolved within a week’s time.