Headlines

  • Rob Manfred Downplays Salary Cap Dispute With Bryce Harper
  • Tanner Houck To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Yankees Release Marcus Stroman
  • Cubs Release Ryan Pressly
  • Cubs To Host 2027 All-Star Game
  • MLB Trade Tracker: July
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Newsstand

Rays Designate Yoshi Tsutsugo For Assignment

By Steve Adams | May 11, 2021 at 2:01pm CDT

The Rays announced Tuesday that they’ve designated struggling first baseman/outfielder Yoshi Tsutsugo for assignment. He’s in the second season of a two-year, $12MM contract that represented a relatively sizable investment for the cost-conscious Rays. They’ll now have a week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him. Corner infielder Kevin Padlo is up from Triple-A Durham in his place.

Tsutsugo, 29, was a prominent slugger with the Yokohama DeNa BayStars in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, batting .285/.382/.528 in parts of 10 seasons — including a .293/.402/.574 slash with 139 home runs in the four years leading up to his free agency.

He struggled in 2020 with the Rays but at least showed off some of that power, slugging eight long balls, five doubles and a triple in 185 trips to the plate last summer. That power has completely evaporated in 2021, however, as Tsutsugo has just four doubles and no home runs through his first 87 plate appearances.

Overall, Tsutsugo has come to the plate 272 times as a member of the Rays and managed only a .187/.292/.336 batting line with a 28.3 percent strikeout rate. To his credit, he’s walked at a hearty 12.5 percent clip, but that keen eye hasn’t helped him to tap into the obvious power that helped make him a star in Japan. With Ji-Man Choi nearing a return from the injured list and Tsutsugo’s struggles persisting, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times wrote yesterday that a touch decision on Tsutsugo seemed virtually “inevitable.”

It’s unlikely that the Rays will find a taker for Tsutsugo’s salary — he’s still owed $5.46MM through season’s end — though they could always try to orchestrate some kind of swap involving another bad contract. Such deals are tough to put together in a short window during the season, making it likelier that he’ll be placed on waivers or simply released.

Share 0 Retweet 38 Send via email0

Newsstand Tampa Bay Rays Transactions Kevin Padlo Yoshitomo Tsutsugo

35 comments

Yankees Activate Luke Voit

By Steve Adams | May 11, 2021 at 11:06am CDT

The Yankees announced Tuesday that they’ve activated first baseman Luke Voit from the 10-day injured list. The 30-year-old slugger missed the first five-plus weeks of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, but he’s been on a rehab assignment in Triple-A Scranton and is now set to make his 2021 debut. The Yankees announced after Sunday’s game that Miguel Andujar was optioned to Scranton, and they’d yet to announce a corresponding move, so Voit will fill that spot on the roster.

Voit led the Majors with 22 long balls during last year’s shortened season, batting .277/.338/.610 overall. He’s been a revelation since coming to the Yankees in a trade that sent setup man Giovanny Gallegos to the Cardinals, as he’s seized the everyday first base job on the strength of a .279/.372/.543 with 57 homers in 897 plate appearances.

The return of Voit should be a spark for a Yankees lineup that has struggled to gel over the course of the season. A revitalized Giancarlo Stanton is in the midst of a hot streak for the ages, but as a whole, the Yankees are tied for 21st in the Majors in runs scored, 24th in batting average (.222) and 19th in slugging percentage (.381). Their collective .320 OBP is still the seventh-best mark of any team in the game, but the Yankees have received sub-par production from the likes of Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks, Gleyber Torres and Clint Frazier to this point.

First base, in particular, has been a black hole for the Yankees. DJ LeMahieu is hitting well overall but hasn’t been as productive when slotted in at first base — a reality that is merely coincidental — while Jay Bruce, Mike Ford and Miguel Andujar haven’t produced in their opportunities there. Through 144 plate appearances, Yankees first basemen are batting .150/.250/.244 so far in 2021.

Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

New York Yankees Newsstand Luke Voit

37 comments

Jordan Zimmermann Retires

By Steve Adams | May 11, 2021 at 9:16am CDT

After spending parts of 13 seasons in the Major Leagues, veteran right-hander Jordan Zimmermann has announced his retirement, via a statement released by the Brewers. The two-time All-Star and Wisconsin native made it back to the big leagues this year for a brief run with his home state’s team, but he’ll now call it a career after 1614 innings and 279 appearances in the Majors.

Jordan Zimmermann | Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

“I have had the joy of playing the game that I love for the past 15 years,” Zimmermann said. “I will forever be thankful to the Washington Nationals and Detroit Tigers for allowing me to live out this dream. It has been particularly special to be able to end it all playing for my hometown team, the Milwaukee Brewers. Thank you to all of my friends, teammates and family members who have been by my side throughout this incredible journey. I will miss the game greatly, but I’m ready for the new phase of my life.”

A second-round pick out of Division-III University of Wisconsin Steven’s Point back in 2007, Zimmermann was in the big leagues not even two years later. He cracked the Nationals’ rotation early that year despite limited minor league experience and held his own through 16 starts, pitching to a 4.63 ERA in 91 1/3 frames. Unfortunately, Zimmermann’s elbow began barking early that summer, and by August he’d undergone Tommy John surgery that wiped out his next year. He returned late in 2010 and tossed 31 innings.

It was the 2011 season, however, where Zimmermann truly cemented his place in the Nationals’ plans. He broke out with 161 2/3 innings of 3.18 ERA ball and was a fixture in the club’s rotation for the next half decade. Zimmermann made the All-Star team in both 2013 and 2014 and finished among the top seven in Cy Young voting during both seasons. In his final five seasons with the Nats, Zimmermann was a durable workhorse who averaged 194 innings per year while pitching to a combined 3.14 ERA and 3.30 FIP with some of the best command of any pitcher in the game.

Zimmermann’s highlight with the Nationals was undoubtedly a 2014 no-hitter in his final appearance of the season — a 10-strikeout, one-walk masterpiece that will go down as one of the best performances in franchise history. He nearly went the distance in his next start, too: a National League Division Series showdown with the eventual World Champion Giants. Zimmermann had thrown 8 2/3 shutout innings before walking Joe Panik — at which point then-manager Matt Williams hooked him for Drew Storen. Storen famously served up back-to-back hits, blowing the Nationals’ 1-0 lead in a game that would turn into an 18-inning marathon which the Giants won.

That excellent showing unsurprisingly made him one of the market’s top free-agent starting pitchers as he headed into his age-30 season. The five-year, $110MM contract he eventually signed with the Tigers actually came in a bit lighter than some prognosticators expected — including our prediction here at MLBTR (six years, $126MM). For a pitcher with Zimmermann’s durability and consistency, it seemed like an eminently reasonable contract that would help stabilize the Tigers’ rotation for the foreseeable future.

As we all know, that isn’t how things panned out. Zimmermann was slowed by a neck injury in his first season with Detroit and struggled to a 4.87 ERA in 19 appearances. Zimmermann made 29 starts the following year but was clobbered for a 6.08 ERA, and the 4.52 mark he managed through 25 starts in 2018 wound up being the best of any of his five years in Detroit.

It was a constant struggle to stay healthy in Detroit for Zimmermann, who spent time on the injured list not only due to the previously mentioned neck strain but also with a lat strain, a shoulder impingement, a UCL sprain, cervical spasms in his back, and a forearm strain. That mountain of injuries clearly took its toll on the former All in all, Zimmermann spent a half decade with the Tigers and mustered just a 5.63 ERA in 514 frames.

This offseason, Zimmermann inked a minor league deal with his hometown club. He headed to the Brewers’ alternate training site when he didn’t win a roster spot in Spring Training, and the righty rather candidly acknowledged that he was in the process of retiring when the Brewers called him to the big leagues. Zimmermann jokingly told reporters earlier this month that he was retired “for about two hours” before getting the call. He tossed 5 2/3 innings in a Brewers jersey to put a bow on what was overall a very fine career, even if injuries derailed the second half of his Major League tenure.

Few Division-III hurlers even get noticed by big league scouts — let alone second-round draft status and an accelerated, 18-month skyrocket journey through the minors and up to the big leagues. Zimmermann did just that, however, and as the dust now settles, he heads into retirement with a career 4.07 ERA through 1614 Major League innings. The righty posted a 95-91 record, struck out 1271 hitters in the Majors and tallied more than $143MM in earnings over the course of a career valued at 20.3 wins above replacement at Baseball-Reference and 25.5 WAR at FanGraphs.

Share 0 Retweet 17 Send via email0

Detroit Tigers Milwaukee Brewers Newsstand Transactions Washington Nationals Jordan Zimmermann Retirement

70 comments

Mariners Expected To Promote Jarred Kelenic This Week

By Connor Byrne | May 10, 2021 at 10:55pm CDT

The Mariners are expected to promote star outfield prospect Jarred Kelenic on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports. The plan is for Kelenic to be up for the beginning of the Mariners’ series against the Indians.

This is much-anticipated news for the Mariners and their fans, as the 21-year-old has done nothing but thrive in the minors since they acquired him from the Mets in the pre-2019 Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano blockbuster. The Mets used the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft on Kelenic, who has since batted a superb .294/.370/.523 with 31 home runs in 771 minor league plate appearances. He’s off to a dazzling .444/.500/.778 start with two home runs in his first 20 Triple-A plate appearances this year.

The Mariners decided not to promote Kelenic at the start of this season, owing in part to a desire to get him some work in Triple-A ball and the left knee strain he suffered during the spring. Service time also seemed to play some role in it, as then-CEO Kevin Mather revealed in February the team offered Kelenic a contract extension. Mather went on to imply that Kelenic wasn’t going to crack their Opening Day roster after he rejected the M’s offer, but he’d be up by the end of April. By then, the Mariners would have secured an extra year of control over Kelenic. Mather’s comments set off a firestorm, leading agent Brodie Scoffield to say it was “made crystal clear to Jarred” he’d have already been in the majors had he taken the extension. Mather resigned his position after his statements came to light.

General manager Jerry Dipoto suggested last week that Kelenic was nearing a call-up to the bigs, and the hope is that he’ll provide an immediate spark for their offense. The Mariners have struggled recently, having dropped to 18-17 after a 12-7 start, and their offense ranks below average in both runs scored (19th) and wRC+ (22nd). Kelenic, for his part,  “is an elite young hitter who projects to be an offensive force,” according to Baseball America, which considers him the sport’s fourth-best prospect. Other outlets such as ESPN (No. 3), The Athletic (No. 4), MLB.com (No. 4) and FanGraphs (No. 5) are similarly bullish on Kelenic.

Now that he’s coming to the bigs, Kelenic will play a prominent role in a Seattle outfield that has received quality production from regulars Kyle Lewis, the 2020 AL Rookie of the Year, as well as Mitch Haniger. Kelenic should combine with those two to form an exciting trio in the present, while Seattle also has another high-end outfield prospect, Julio Rodriguez, waiting in the minor league wings.

The timing of Kelenic’s promotion puts him on track for Super Two status, meaning he’d be eligible for arbitration on four occasions. The Mariners are also slated to have control over Kelenic through the 2027 campaign.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Newsstand Seattle Mariners Top Prospect Promotions Jarred Kelenic

97 comments

Mets Optimistic Jacob deGrom Will Not Have Extended Absence After MRI

By Anthony Franco | May 10, 2021 at 9:08am CDT

MAY 10: In what’ll surely be a sigh of relief for Mets’ fans, it seems deGrom’s MRI revealed no serious issues. Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link) reports New York is optimistic he won’t require an extended absence, although his next scheduled start may be pushed back. The Mets have off days today and Thursday, so they needn’t rearrange the rotation much to give deGrom an extra few days to recover. Morosi adds that a short-term IL stint remains a possibility, but it seems deGrom has avoided any especially worrisome injury.

MAY 9, 4:18 pm: New York is sending deGrom for an MRI “just to see what’s going on,” manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). Rojas says deGrom’s current discomfort is in the right side of his lower back, not his lat.

MAY 9, 2:15 pm: The Mets announced deGrom was removed for precautionary reasons with right side tightness (via David Lennon of Newsday).

MAY 9, 1:56 pm: Mets ace Jacob deGrom left this afternoon’s start against the Diamondbacks early after a visit from the team trainer, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News was among those to pass along (Twitter link). deGrom worked five innings before leaving during his warm-up pitches to start the sixth.

Any premature departure for the two-time NL Cy Young award winner would cause concern, but it’s especially alarming to see deGrom pulled after he was scratched from his previous start with right lat inflammation. deGrom did come out strong today, holding his typical high-90’s velocity over five frames of one-hit, one-run ball.

The 32-year-old has been nothing short of incredible this season. He’s now up to 40 innings with a 0.68 ERA and a fantastic 46.1% strikeout rate against a 5.0% walk rate. So long as he’s healthy, deGrom looks on his way to another Cy Young-caliber campaign, and he’s of upmost importance if the 15-13 Mets are to remain atop the National League East over the course of the season.

Share 0 Retweet 15 Send via email0

New York Mets Newsstand Jacob deGrom

83 comments

Braves To Re-Sign Shane Greene

By Anthony Franco | May 9, 2021 at 11:08pm CDT

The Braves are in agreement on a contract with free agent reliever Shane Greene, confirms MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Talkin’ Jake of Jomboy Media was first to report the deal (via Twitter). It’s a one-year contract worth $1.5MM, which will wind up prorated in the $1.1MM – $1.2MM range given the amount of time in the season that has already passed, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (via Twitter). Greene will begin with Triple-A Gwinnett to build back up into game shape, per Rosenthal.

Greene will return to the team with which he’d spent the past year-plus. Atlanta acquired the veteran righty from the Tigers at the July 31 trade deadline in 2019, and he spent the next couple seasons in manager Brian Sntiker’s bullpen. Greene has logged 52 1/3 innings of 3.27 ERA/3.87 FIP ball since the deal, cementing himself as one of the team’s more reliable relievers.

The 32-year-old reached free agency at the end of last season, but his market moved incredibly slowly. He was linked to the Twins before Minnesota signed Alex Colomé, but there were no other clubs specifically tied to Greene in recent months. That lack of reported interest was a bit puzzling, considering Greene has been something of a bullpen workhorse over the years. After moving to relief in 2016, the former Yankee and Tiger eclipsed 60 innings in each season through 2019. Last year’s shortened campaign obviously brought an end to that streak, but Greene still appeared in 28 of Atlanta’s 60 contests.

Generally, Greene has paired that durability with quality production. He’s managed an ERA of 2.66 or lower in three of the past four years, with a 5.12 mark in 2018 standing as the exception. While he’s typically been adept at keeping runs off the board, Greene hasn’t racked up the gaudy strikeout totals of most high-end relievers. That was particularly true last season, when he punched out just 19.3% of opposing hitters, a far cry from the 24.1% league average for bullpen arms (and down from the 23-25% range in which he landed each of the four seasons before). Greene’s 7.5% swinging strike rate and 4.51 SIERA in 2020 were likewise below-average.

That discrepancy between Greene’s strong bottom line results and his downturn in whiffs could help explain why it took until May for he and a team to find a mutually agreeable term. It’s not especially surprising he’ll return to a place with which he’s obviously quite familiar and where he’s had plenty of success.

The Braves’ bullpen hasn’t been especially productive to this point in the season. Atlanta relievers currently sit 22nd in ERA (4.56), 19th in strikeout minus walk rate (12.9 percentage points) and 21st in SIERA (4.09). A.J. Minter, Will Smith and Tyler Matzek have each pitched fairly well, but Josh Tomlin, Grant Dayton, Jacob Webb and Sean Newcomb are off to tougher starts. Luke Jackson has a shiny 1.50 ERA but less inspiring peripherals.

Even with Greene re-signed and Chris Martin soon to return from the injured list, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Atlanta bolster the relief unit at the trade deadline. Despite an underwhelming 16-17 start, the Braves remain right in the thick of the National League East race. Even after factoring in Greene’s salary, Atlanta’s payroll commitments check in just shy of $133MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. That’s about $25MM south of the mark the Braves were slated to spend last season (prior to prorating), so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Liberty Media ownership group gives GM Alex Anthopoulos and company some leeway to make further midseason additions.

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Atlanta Braves Newsstand Transactions Shane Greene

90 comments

Twins Place Byron Buxton On Injured List, Recall Trevor Larnach

By TC Zencka | May 7, 2021 at 10:35pm CDT

The Twins are placing Byron Buxton on the injured list with a hip strain, per Phil Miller of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). Trevor Larnach will be added to the roster with an opportunity to make his Major League debut. Larnach was not on the 40-man roster, so to make room, the Twins designated Brandon Waddell for assignment.

This is a potentially devastating bit of news for the Twins, who are off to an 11-19 start despite tremendous production from Buxton. Buxton has long been an injury concern, but losing him now is particularly difficult. It’s a Grade 2 strain that will keep Buxton out for “weeks,” notes Miller. Buxton has been among the most explosive players in the game, slashing .370/.408/.772 with nine home runs in 98 plate appearances. He has put up 2.7 bWAR, 2.4 fWAR, and a 228 wRC+ in less than a month of playing time.

Jake Cave is in the lineup for Buxton in tonight’s game, but the Twins are likely to employ a dynamic outfield crew for the next couple of weeks. Larnach and Kyle Garlick will have their opportunities in the corners, but neither project as centerfield capable. Max Kepler may be called upon to captain the outfield in Buxton’s stead. Kepler has 134 games of centerfield experience throughout his career, though he appears there only twice in 2020.

Alex Kirilloff, meanwhile, received a cortisone injection in his wrist, but only time will tell when he is able to return, per Betsy Helfand of the Pioneer Press (via Twitter). Luis Arraez is more likely to help in the near term, as he appears close to returning after suffering a concussion, tweets Miller. Arraez could see time in the corner. Regardless, Cave and Kepler figure to be the Twins’ centerfielders until Buxton returns.

Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

Minnesota Twins Newsstand Notes Transactions Alex Kirilloff Brandon Waddell Byron Buxton Jake Cave Kyle Garlick Luis Arraez Max Kepler Trevor Larnach

37 comments

Angels Designate Albert Pujols For Assignment

By Steve Adams | May 6, 2021 at 10:56pm CDT

The Albert Pujols era in Anaheim has come to an end. In a shocking move, the Angels announced Thursday that Pujols has been designated for assignment. The DFA is largely a formality, as Pujols and the remainder of his $30MM salary will go unclaimed on waivers. It’s possible the Halos could work out some kind of trade where they effectively eat all of that salary, but a release is most likely. Pujols is in the final season of a 10-year, $240MM contract.

Albert Pujols | Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

“The Angels organization proudly signed Albert Pujols in 2011, and are honored that he was worn an Angels jersey for nearly half of his Hall-of-Fame career,” owner Arte Moreno said in a statement announcing the move. “Albert’s historical accomplishments, both on and off the field, serve as an inspiration to athletes everywhere, and his actions define what it means to be a true Superstar. Since his Rookie of the Year season in 2001, Albert and his wife Deidre have generously given their time and resources to countless charities throughout the world. We are thankful to the entire Pujols Family.”

It’s a stunning end to one of the largest contracts in Major League history, although from a pure performance standpoint, it’s hard to fault the move. The 41-year-old Pujols has connected on five homers in 2021 but is batting just .198/.250/.372 overall. He’s drawn only two unintentional walks in his 92 trips to the plate this season. The results in 2020 were similarly disappointing, and Pujols has an overall .214/.263/.387 line across his past 255 plate appearances.

Pujols’ fit on the Angels has become increasingly difficult, given Shohei Ohtani’s flat-out excellence at the plate and the emergence of slugger Jared Walsh. The 26-year-old Ohtani is batting .264/.316/.623 with nine home runs through 114 plate appearances. Walsh, a former 37th-round pick, has built upon last year’s surprise production with a ridiculous .333/.412/.576 line in 114 plate appearances, bringing his overall output since Opening Day 2020 to a robust .313/.369/.611 in 222 plate appearances.

Even with Pujols forced into action at first base, this announcement has sent shockwaves through the baseball world. Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times reports that Pujols was unhappy not only with the fact that he was benched against Rays lefty Ryan Yarbrough last night — against whom he is 6-for-9 with a pair of homers in his career — but that the decision to sit him was made by the front office rather than by manager Joe Maddon. The extent to which that specific instance contributed to today’s move isn’t clear, but MLB Network’s Jon Heyman adds that Pujols was also recently given the message that his playing time would begin to be scaled back.

Pujols’ signing in Los Angeles was a watershed moment in both Angels and Cardinals franchise history. The three-time National League MVP spent the first 11 seasons of a surefire Cooperstown career in St. Louis, cementing himself as one of the game’s top all-around players while batting .328/.420/.617 with 445 home runs through 7433 plate appearances.

Pujols hit the market as one of the most coveted free agents in history. At the time of his signing, his 10-year, $240MM deal was the third-largest in MLB history, trailing only Alex Rodriguez’s prior $252MM and $275MM contracts. That contract was negotiated by Moreno himself, and it’s now Moreno who has formally made the announcement and issued a statement confirming the end of Pujols’ time with the organization.

The contract, of course, didn’t pan out as hoped. Pujols began his Angels tenure mired in a dreadful slump, though he recovered to finish his first year with a .285/.343/.516 slash and 30 home runs. With the Angels, Pujols was never the juggernaut that he’d proven to be in St. Louis, but the first five seasons of his contract still resulted in a solid .266/.325/.474 batting line — good for a 119 wRC+. It’s not the production for which the Halos had hoped, but it’s a far sight better than the cumulative .240/.289/.405 output he’s compiled since 2017.

Pujols hit several iconic milestones during his time with the Angels, belting his 500th and 600th career home runs and also tallying his 3000th hit. But beyond the individual milestones, the Angels had only one postseason appearance during the Pujols era — a winless, three-game sweep at the hands of the upstart Royals back in 2014.

It’s not clear what’s next for Pujols. There’s already been immediate speculation and plenty of clamoring from fans about a farewell tour in St. Louis. A reunion of Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright would no doubt give Cards fans chills, but with Paul Goldschmidt at first base and no universal designated hitter, Pujols isn’t exactly a clean fit for that roster.

Others have suggested a reunion with skipper Tony La Russa, now managing the White Sox, also might make some sense. However, Yermin Mercedes has been the team’s best hitter at DH, and reigning MVP Jose Abreu has first base locked down. It still seems likely that some club will take a chance on Pujols if he wants to continue playing.

For the Angels, moving on from Pujols allows the club to utilize Walsh at first base and Ohtani at designated hitter once top prospects Jo Adell and/or Brandon Marsh are called to the Major Leagues for a look in right field. Were either to hit at even an average (or slightly below-average) level upon his promotion, that’d give the Angels both an improved lineup and an improved defensive outlook.

The organization surely didn’t make the decision to move on lightly. Beyond his stature as one of the best players in Major League history, Pujols is a beloved teammate who is respected by all in the league and revered by fans for both his on-field contributions and his prolific charity work off the field. The very fact that there is such widespread shock to a see the DFA of a player with his lack of production over the past few seasons is a testament to that reverence. Time will tell whether that leads to another opportunity.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand first reported (via Twitter) that Pujols would be released.

Share 0 Retweet 36 Send via email0

Los Angeles Angels Newsstand Transactions Albert Pujols

595 comments

Joey Votto Suffers Fractured Thumb

By Connor Byrne | May 5, 2021 at 3:18pm CDT

Reds first baseman Joey Votto suffered a fractured left thumb on Wednesday, manager David Bell told C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic and other reporters. Votto will miss “weeks,” likely around a month, according to Bell.

The 37-year-old Votto incurred the injury on a fourth-inning hit by pitch from White Sox left-hander Dallas Keuchel in a game the Reds ultimately won, 1-0. Votto stayed in through the fifth inning, but the Reds then replaced him with Kyle Farmer. It was a cruel way for Votto to leave the 1,800th game of his decorated career.

Votto’s injury continues what has been a tough start to the season for the former NL MVP, six-time All-Star and potential Hall of Famer. Through 118 plate appearances, Votto has batted a so-so .226/.305/.425 – a far cry from his lifetime line of .303/.418/.516. Votto’s walk and strikeout rates are also much worse than his career marks, though his bottom-line results looked due for a turnaround before Wednesday’s injury. According to Statcast, Votto ranks near the top of the league in expected slugging percentage, average exit velocity, expected weighted on-base average, hard-hit percentage and expected batting average.

Cincinnati and Votto will now have to wait even longer for a possible 180 from the franchise icon, and the Reds will have to find a replacement(s) in the meantime. Alex Blandino is the only other Red who has started a game at first base this year.

Share 0 Retweet 9 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds Newsstand Joey Votto

48 comments

Blue Jays Moving Home Games To Buffalo Beginning June 1

By Steve Adams | May 5, 2021 at 9:45am CDT

The Blue Jays have spent the first month-plus of the 2021 season playing their home games at their Spring Training facility in Dunedin, Fla., but the team announced Wednesday that beginning June 1, they’ll move their home games to Buffalo’s Sahlen Field — the home of their Triple-A affiliate and the site of last summer’s home games. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reported on the move back to Buffalo shortly before the Jays made the formal announcement.

Per the announcement, the Blue Jays are in the process of a renovation project at Sahlen Field in order to prepare the facility for compliance with health-and-safety protocols associated with the return of fans. There are also updates being made to the field of play itself and the facilities, which include moving the bullpens off the field and behind the outfield walls, installing new batting cages beyond the right field wall, re-sodding the outfield grass, a new weight room, updated clubhouse facilities and updates to the stadium lighting. While those renovations are ongoing, they’re expected to be completed prior to June 1. The Bisons, meanwhile, are playing their home games out of Trenton, N.J. to accommodate the Blue Jays’ relocation and the ongoing renovations, Davidi points out.

The move to Sahlen Field is indefinite, as a return to Toronto is dependent on government regulations and recommendations of medical experts in Canada. For the time being, the Jays extended thanks the city of Buffalo and to Bisons ownership, expressing excitement over the ability to return to the site of their “strong 2020 campaign, this time with in-person cheers from Buffalo-area fans.”

The Jays will open Sahlen Field at 24 percent capacity and begin selling tickets the morning of May 13. You can see their full press release here (courtesy of MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, on Twitter).

Share 0 Retweet 12 Send via email0

Newsstand Toronto Blue Jays

117 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all
    Top Stories

    Rob Manfred Downplays Salary Cap Dispute With Bryce Harper

    Tanner Houck To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Yankees Release Marcus Stroman

    Cubs Release Ryan Pressly

    Cubs To Host 2027 All-Star Game

    MLB Trade Tracker: July

    Padres Acquire Mason Miller, JP Sears

    Astros Acquire Carlos Correa

    Rays, Twins Swap Griffin Jax For Taj Bradley

    Padres Acquire Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Laureano

    Rangers Acquire Merrill Kelly

    Yankees Acquire David Bednar

    Blue Jays Acquire Shane Bieber

    Mets Acquire Cedric Mullins

    Padres Acquire Nestor Cortes

    Last Day To Lock In Savings On Trade Rumors Front Office

    Cubs Acquire Willi Castro

    Tigers Acquire Charlie Morton

    Yankees Acquire Camilo Doval

    Royals Acquire Mike Yastrzemski

    Recent

    Padres “Made A Real Run At” MacKenzie Gore Trade

    Astros, Twins Reportedly Discussed Christian Walker In Carlos Correa Trade

    Outright Assignments: 8/3/25

    Red Sox Notes: Ryan, Alcantara, Prospects, Mayer, Slaten

    Orioles Claim Vidal Brujan, Carson Ragsdale

    White Sox Claim Bryan Hudson, Elvis Peguero

    Nationals Claim PJ Poulin

    Rockies Claim Blaine Crim

    Yankees Activate Luis Gil From 60-Day Injured List

    Orioles Designate Terrin Vavra For Assignment

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    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

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version