Mets Notes: Rotation, Shortstop
The Mets’ rotation — and roster at large — has underwhelmed thus far in 2026. Mets starting pitchers rank 19th in the majors with a 4.24 ERA and are tied for the game’s sixth-highest walk rate at 10%. In particular, struggles from Kodai Senga and David Peterson have set them back. New York turned to Christian Scott for his first big league start since 2024’s Tommy John surgery yesterday against the Twins, but he walked five of the 10 hitters he faced and plunked a sixth before being lifted from the game in the second inning.
Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic report that at least for now, the plan is for Scott to make another start next week. The Mets have Peterson, Sean Manaea and Tobias Myers all pitching out of the bullpen right now and will work to keep them all stretched out, given the uncertainty in the rotation. If they end up needing a fresh arm — Peterson and Myers both threw 40-plus pitches in long relief yesterday — it’s possible Scott could instead be optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Any of those more veteran options in the ‘pen could then step in for a start in Scott’s place.
Scott and young ace Nolan McLean are the only two members of the Mets’ rotation who can be optioned. The latter, of course, isn’t going anywhere. In the bullpen, only Myers and Huascar Brazobán can be optioned. The lack of flexibility, coupled with the Mets’ injured and underperforming lineup, prompts Britton and Sammon to wonder whether president of baseball operations David Stearns might eventually explore the trade of a pitcher to help bolster the offense.
Trades of any real significance are rare this early in the season, but there are a handful of notable April or May deals in recent history. The Brewers picked up Quinn Priester from the Red Sox last April, for instance. A year prior, the Marlins shipped Luis Arraez to the Padres in early May. As The Athletic duo points out, when Stearns was running things in Milwaukee, he acquired Willy Adames from the Rays in a May trade.
The Mets aren’t going to get a hitter of any note for Manaea or Senga with their contracts underwater. They could perhaps try to swap either for a hitter with a similarly undesirable contract, but that sort of player isn’t going to help turn the lineup around. The best version of the Mets would have McLean and Freddy Peralta atop the rotation, and the Mets parted with multiple top prospects to get Peralta this winter, so he’s not an early candidate to move. Clay Holmes‘ opt-out opportunity at season’s end tamps down his value.
Speculatively speaking, Peterson feels like the most logical candidate to move in that type of scenario. He’s a free agent at season’s end, earning $8MM, and currently working in the ‘pen. The 30-year-old lefty had a tough run of three starts before being moved into a long relief role, but he started 30 games last year and finished the season with a 4.22 ERA, 20.7% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate in 168 2/3 innings. He’s allowed one run over his past two appearances — a total of seven innings. He’s not going to net a controllable, established hitter, but the Mets could try to swap him out for a veteran bat with similar service time.
There’s no indication at this point that the Mets are actively seeking to ship out a pitcher and/or bring in another bat via trade, to be clear, but it’s worth keeping in mind as the season progresses. That’s especially true with star shortstop Francisco Lindor hitting the injured list due to a calf strain this week.
In place of Lindor, it’ll be just-recalled Ronny Mauricio getting most of the reps at shortstop, writes Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The Mets could slide Bo Bichette over to shortstop on occasion, but DiComo notes that the club has been pleased with Bichette’s move to third base so far. Bichette has been charged with a pair of throwing errors through his first 210 frames at the hot corner but has generally corralled anything hit in his direction. Metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (0) and Outs Above Average (1) feel he’s been perfectly adequate during his foray into a new position.
Shortstop is a familiar spot on the diamond for Mauricio. The 25-year-old, who ranked as a top-100 prospect for years before injuries (namely a torn ACL) set him back, has logged nearly 3900 professional innings at the position. He’s healthy now and was playing all over the diamond in Syracuse prior to his recall, though he did spend more time (seven games) at shortstop than at any other position. Even if Lindor hadn’t suffered an injury, pressure to recall Mauricio was mounting. He’s bludgeoned Triple-A pitching so far in 2026, raking at a .293/.349/.638 pace (150 wRC+) with six homers and five stolen bases through 63 turns at the plate.
It’s not clear just how long Mauricio’s runway will be. The Mets haven’t given a timetable for Lindor’s return, with manager Carlos Mendoza telling reporters only that Lindor will “be down quite a bit here.” He’s looking at more than a minimum stint, but the Mets haven’t specified whether Lindor is looking at an absence of three to four weeks or something more appropriately measured in months. Regardless, the injury gives Mauricio a rare everyday opportunity with the Mets — something that’s generally eluded him in recent years as he’s sought to establish himself in the majors.
Dodgers Notes: Snell, Sasaki, Bullpen
The Dodgers are cruising along with an MLB-best 16-7 record (tied with the Padres) and a share of first in a competitive NL West. Still, more pitching help should be on the way soon. Lefty Blake Snell is slated to start for Single-A Ontario Tower Buzzers tonight as he builds up for his season debut, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com.
Shoulder fatigue in his throwing arm dates back to last year. While Snell was able to toss an excellent 95 1/3 innings between the regular season and postseason last year, the Dodgers erred on the side of caution and placed the left-hander on the IL to open the season. Snell is tabbed for three innings tonight and will need four starts to build up to the five-inning/75-pitch MLB level, placing his earliest big league return timeline as late May.
Even in Snell’s absence, the Dodgers rotation hasn’t missed a beat. Their 14 quality starts lead all of MLB entering play today. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shohei Ohtani have been typically excellent, but Justin Wrobleski has offered some surprising stability at the back of the rotation (despite a lack of strikeouts). Between Wrobleski, Emmet Sheehan, and Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers will have a rotation decision to make in the coming weeks upon Snell’s return.
Sasaki has recorded outs in the fifth inning in only two of his four starts this season. Given his excellence operating out of the bullpen in last year’s championship run, it’s natural to wonder if Sasaki could be ticketed for relief. At least for now, Sasaki’s role appears to be safe. In response to a hypothetical Sasaki in relief, Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes gave Fabian Ardaya and Katie Woo of The Athletic a flat “No.” Reading between the lines, it appears the final rotation spot will fall to Wrobleski or Sheehan, with Wrobleski currently occupying the inside track. Performance in the coming weeks could shift this assessment (and injuries to the rest of the rotation could upend it entirely).
It’s an interesting position by Gomes and the organization, given Sasaki’s struggles, but it reflects the Dodgers’ long-term belief in his potential. Sasaki surrendered only a single run in 10 2/3 innings last postseason, but wasn’t dominant by any means. His 2.3 K-BB% was lackluster, and ERA models like xFIP (5.72) and SIERA (5.35) didn’t love his work in an admittedly small sample. However, Sasaki was able to corral the long ball issues (again, small sample size) that have plagued his MLB work up to this point. In all likelihood, Sasaki’s gutsy October performance had little bearing on the organization’s long-term vision for him.
Sasaki’s 2026 starting work looks largely similar to 2025, with a marginal improvement in strikeouts and more fly balls leaving the yard on a rate basis. But if the Dodgers remain committed to locking him into rotation, one of Wrobleski or Sheehan will be squeezed off the roster or the bullpen. Fortunately, both Wrobleski and Sheehan have options remaining, meaning either of them can be freely moved between the major league club and its minor league affiliates them being exposed to waivers. Sasaki also has options remaining, meaning the Dodgers could theoretically allow him to continue working as a starter in the minors if they want to keep him stretched out as a starter, though this route seems unlikely.
LA’s bullpen pecking order is also currently under evaluation after closer Edwin Diaz went under the knife to remove loose bodies in his throwing elbow. While manager Dave Roberts acknowledged top lefty Tanner Scott could receive the majority of the save opportunities, he stopped short of anointing him interim closer, plainly stating (via Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register) the approach as “…the closer-by-committee way of doing it.” High-leverage righty Brock Stewart, currently rehabbing with Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, is also nearing a return. Between lefties (Scott and Alex Vesia) and righties (Blake Treinen and Stewart), Roberts should have a multitude of options at his disposal to attack hitters in the late innings until Diaz’s reinstatement.
Braves Notes: Fuentes, Kim, Roster Decisions
Braves prospect Didier Fuentes was a healthy scratch from a scheduled start yesterday and could be an option to join the big league pitching staff in the near future. As Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution breaks down, Fuentes’ scratch doesn’t necessarily guarantee a recall to the majors, but the Braves are light on options to summon as they embark on a sequence of 10 games in 10 days. Each of Hayden Harris, Dylan Dodd and Rolddy Muñoz was optioned late last week, meaning they can’t be recalled for 15 days (from the date of their option) unless they’re directly replacing an injured player on the roster. Skipping Fuentes’ start yesterday also helps to manage the promising 20-year-old’s workload after he only pitched 70 total innings (majors and minors combined) in 2025.
Fuentes has been terrific so far in Gwinnett this season. He’s taken the ball three times, tossed a total of 16 2/3 innings and held opponents to four runs (2.16 ERA) on eight hits and six walks with 20 strikeouts. He’s also plunked three batters and tossed a wild pitch, so his command hasn’t exactly been pristine, but the results and bat-missing capabilities are impressive.
Throughout spring training, there were calls from Atlanta fans to plug Fuentes into the rotation — understandably so. To this point in the season, however, there are five Braves pitchers who’ve started multiple games — Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, Grant Holmes, Martín Pérez, Bryce Elder — and none has an ERA higher than 3.42 (Holmes). Despite all the injuries, Atlanta starters remarkably lead the majors with a 2.65 ERA. Metrics like FIP (4.02) and SIERA (4.05) are far more bearish, but it’d be hard for Braves brass to tell any of the current starters he’s losing his place in the rotation. Atlanta already briefly jettisoned Pérez, but he quickly re-signed on a new deal and responded by tossing six shutout innings in Philadelphia on Friday.
None of that includes righty Spencer Strider, who’s working his way back from an oblique injury and could return early next month. The Braves will need to figure out a way to plug Strider back into the rotation whenever he’s cleared to return. Elder looked to be very much on the roster bubble in spring training, but he’s allowed only two earned runs through his first 23 1/3 innings. Pérez, as previously mentioned, just fired six shutout innings on the road against a top division rival. He now has a 2.21 ERA on the year. Perhaps another injury will make the decision easier, but if everyone’s healthy, it’s fair to say that “too many effective starters” isn’t a problem many foresaw Atlanta encountering a few weeks back (though it’s a “problem” they’ll surely welcome with open arms).
On the position-player side of the roster, the Braves will have some decisions looming regarding seldom-used veterans currently holding down bench spots. Catcher Sean Murphy is on a rehab assignment. Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is headed for a simulated game Thursday, manager Walt Weiss told the Atlanta beat (via MLB.com’s Mark Bowman). He could begin a rehab assignment next week himself.
The return of Murphy, on paper, would seem to be bad news for veteran backstop Jonah Heim, who’s 5-for-23 in limited action as the No. 2 catcher behind reigning National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin. As Bowman points out, however, infielder Kyle Farmer has only received seven plate appearances all season. The organization loves his presence in the clubhouse, but he’s even more seldom-used than Heim. Keeping Heim over Farmer could allow the Braves to more comfortably use both Baldwin and Murphy in the same lineup, splitting time at catcher and DH, with Heim on hand as an emergency option.
Of course, when Kim returns — likely in mid-May — both Heim and Farmer could be squeezed out. No one on the Braves’ bench can be optioned, so two of Farmer, Heim, Jorge Mateo and Eli White are likely to find themselves displaced, barring other injuries that allow the team to kick those decisions down the road a bit.
Mateo has hit quite well, albeit in a tiny sample of 20 plate appearances. His prior track record doesn’t create much optimism about him sustaining this pace, but he’s still an elite runner with 98th-percentile sprint speed (per Statcast) and some defensive versatility. White has been the team’s worst hitter … in a similarly tiny sample of 22 plate appearances. He’s a terrific outfield defender, however, and Statcast measures his sprint speed even better than Mateo, placing him at the very top of the MLB scale with 30.4 feet per second (100th percentile).
AL East Notes: Sandoval, Lukes, Orioles
Patrick Sandoval was in Boston today to undergo some testing after felt some left biceps soreness in the aftermath of his last minor league rehab outing. Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t have any info on the outcome of those tests when speaking with MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and other reporters earlier today, and it wasn’t yet known if Sandoval would even be formally pulled off his 30-day minor league rehab assignment. Sandoval has made two starts during the assignment as he continues to work his way back from an internal brace surgery in July 2024.
Kutter Crawford also hasn’t pitched since 2024 (due to wrist and knee injuries that cost him the entirety of the 2025 campaign), and the right-hander’s own rehab assignment has also been put on pause due to a new health concern. Crawford underwent an MRI today after he felt some elbow soreness following his first rehab outing, so both Crawford and Sandoval are currently in limbo as they await their next steps.
The Sox have avoided any injury setbacks within their starting five, though these setbacks for Sandoval and Crawford create more questions about the team’s rotation depth. Johan Oviedo is on the 60-day injured list due to a flexor strain, and recent call-up Tyler Uberstine is on the Triple-A injured list due to shoulder soreness. Top prospect Payton Tolle made his MLB debut last season and is Boston’s first option for a call-up if a need develops in the rotation.
Here’s more from around the AL East…
- Nathan Lukes has been battling vertigo symptoms for the last month, and visited a specialist in Phoenix on Friday to help combat the issue, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi writes. Lukes felt greatly improved following the session, and he responded by going 7-for-11 over the Blue Jays‘ three-game series with the Diamondbacks. It was a much-needed breakout series for the outfielder, who had just two hits and an ugly .182 OPS in his first 34 plate appearances. The Jays have been dealing with a lot of injuries and slumping hitters over the first few weeks, so getting Lukes right both physically and at the plate would be a big help in getting Toronto’s season on track.
- The Orioles are another struggling team with a crowded injured list, but the O’s should be getting some reinforcements back this week. Left-hander Dietrich Enns (foot infection) started a minor league rehab assignment yesterday, and fellow southpaw Keegan Akin (groin strain) has two rehab outings under his belt. The Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer wrote that Adley Rutschman (ankle inflammation) and Tyler O’Neill (concussion symptoms) were both running the bases prior to today’s game, in the latest step in their recovery processes. It isn’t yet known if either might need a brief rehab assignment before returning to the O’s, and Rutschman isn’t eligible to be activated from the 10-day IL until Tuesday at the earliest.
AL West Notes: Garcia, Angels, Wisdom
Robert Garcia came out of a relief appearance on Thursday with a sore throwing shoulder, and Rangers manager Skip Schumaker told reporters (including the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant) that Garcia underwent an MRI today to access the damage. The results of the testing isn’t yet known, but while Schumaker believes the situation isn’t too serious, Grant notes that Garcia is likely to need a few more days of rest and recovery even if the MRI comes back clean.
It has been an unusual start to the season for Garcia, who has a 3.38 ERA over eight innings despite recording more walks (seven) than strikeouts (six). Batted-ball luck has played a role, as Garcia has benefited from a .238 BABIP and a 52.4% grounder rate. Despite the shaky performance to date, the Rangers can hardly afford to lose Garcia to the injury bug, given how fellow relievers Chris Martin, Luis Curvelo, and Carter Baumler are already on the 15-day IL.
More from around the AL West…
- Angels manager Kurt Suzuki updated the media (including Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group) on the status of several injured pitchers today. Grayson Rodriguez and Ben Joyce are both expected to start facing hitters in a live batting-practice setting within the next few days, while Alek Manoah has been facing hitters at the Angels’ spring facility in Arizona. This trio began the season on the 15-day IL, as Rodriguez has been dealing with shoulder inflammation, Manoah with a finger contusion, and Joyce is in the final stages of his recovery from a May 2025 shoulder surgery. Kirby Yates also began the year on the 15-day IL due to left knee inflammation, but the reliever started a Triple-A rehab assignment on Friday. Yates told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger that the rehab assignment will consist of at least a few more games, as Yates is still working on building up his velocity and gaining some weight.
- Catching up on an IL placement from Friday, the Mariners sent Patrick Wisdom to the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 15) due to a left oblique strain. Wisdom just had his minor league contract selected to the 26-man roster on Tuesday and he appeared in that day’s game as a pinch-hitter before getting hurt. The lone appearance marked Wisdom’s first MLB game since 2024, when the infielder was still a member of the Cubs.
NL West Notes: Susac, Bailey, Freeland, Dollander, Ryan
Daniel Susac went 2-for-5 in the Giants‘ 10-5 win over the Nationals yesterday, as the catcher is now hitting an absurd .524/.545/.714 over the first 22 plate appearances of his Major League career. Susac was a Rule 5 Draft pick initially from the Athletics organization before he was taken by the Twins and then immediately dealt to the Giants.
A big Spring Training performance clinched Susac’s roster spot and a role as Patrick Bailey‘s backup, yet Susac’s dream start is earning him more playing time, with starts in three of San Francisco’s last five games. On Thursday, Giants manager Tony Vitello told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser and other reporters that the team intends on “involving [Susac] as much as possible, see if we get into an every other day situation, or whatever it might be.”
Bailey has never shown much at the plate over his four MLB seasons, but he is off to a particularly ugly start by hitting only .128/.180/.128 in 50 PA. While Bailey’s elite defense has been reason enough to earn him starting catcher duties in the past, the Giants’ offense has struggled so much (Friday notwithstanding) that the club has nothing to lose by riding the hot hand in Susac.
More from around the NL West…
- Kyle Freeland‘s MRI on his inflamed left shoulder didn’t reveal any structural damage, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer told the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders and other reporters. Freeland was retroactively played on the 15-day injured list on April 13, and the good diagnosis means that the veteran southpaw likely won’t miss too much time. The injury interrupted Freeland’s strong start to the season, as he had a 2.30 ERA over his first three outings.
- Chase Dollander is another Rockies pitcher getting good early results, as the former third overall pick has a 3.32 ERA, 28.7% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over 19 innings. Dollander has yet to start any of his five appearances, however, and Schaeffer told Saunders and company that Dollander will continue pitching behind an opener for the time being. The manager’s logic is simple: Dollander is “having a lot of success” as a bulk pitcher. “He’s settled into a routine, and routines are very different from being in the bullpen and starting. Obviously, we want him to be a starter, long-term. But right now we don’t want to mess with the routine,” Schaeffer said.
- The Dodgers‘ Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City placed River Ryan on the seven-day injured list yesterday, and Jack Harris of the California Post indicated that the placement is likely due to a hamstring injury. Ryan posted a 1.33 ERA over his first 20 1/3 MLB innings in 2024, but a Tommy John surgery in August of that year sidelined the right-hander for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Returning to action with Oklahoma City this year, Ryan’s excellent peripherals and a .450 BABIP over seven innings of work indicate that he has pitched much better than his 5.14 ERA would imply. The IL stint will delay his eventual return to Los Angeles in what will probably be a bullpen role, as there isn’t room for Ryan even in a six-man Dodgers rotation if everyone is healthy.
NL East Notes: Strider, Moore, Cannarella
Spencer Strider threw a live batting practice session yesterday at Truist Park, and the Braves right-hander is now set to begin a minor league rehab assignment. Manager Walt Weiss indicated to reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) that Strider will throw 40-45 pitches in a minor league game on Thursday, with likely two more rehab outings after that. “He’s on the right path but with starters, it takes time,” Weiss said. “We’ve got to build him back up now, so that’s probably going to take the rest of the month.”
An oblique strain sent Strider to the 15-day IL just prior to Opening Day. If Strider is able to return by the first week of May, missing “only” five weeks isn’t a bad outcome considering the unpredictable nature of oblique injuries. It also helps that the Braves have thus far impressively managed their lack of rotation depth, as Martin Perez and Bryce Elder have each been terrific in filling for Strider and Atlanta’s other injured starters.
More items from the NL East…
- Back in March, Dylan Moore utilized the opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Phillies, and the team quickly signed him to a guaranteed contract to finalize Moore’s spot on the Opening Day roster. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb has some details on Moore’s deal, as the utilityman will earn $1.45MM in guaranteed money, with a $100K bonus unlocked for every 100 plate appearances (up to 400 PA). As per the terms of Moore’s original minors deal, Gelb writes that Moore was set to earn $1.85M if he’d made Philadelphia’s active roster. It seemed like the new agreement was made so the Phillies could save a bit of money while still retaining Moore, and the veteran may have been willing to forego some of his guarantee in order to ensure he broke camp. Moore hasn’t seen much action yet, with only seven PA over five games.
- Marlins prospect Cam Cannarella will miss roughly the next 6-8 weeks after suffering a broken wrist from a collision in the outfield, according to Fish On First’s X feed devoted to Miami’s farm system. The 43rd overall pick of the 2025 draft had an impressive 1.019 OPS over his first 25 PA for A-level Beloit this season, but Cannarella’s second pro season will now be put on hold. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each rate Cannarella as the eighth-best prospect in the Marlins’ system, praising his excellent center field glovework and solid contact hitting.
NL West Notes: Tatis, Arraez, Hentges, Snell, Edman
Fernando Tatis Jr. was 3-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in yesterday’s 9-5 Padres win over the Rockies, but the most notable aspect of Tatis’ game was his role as San Diego’s starting second baseman. It was just Tatis’ second career big league game at second base and his first start at the position, and the move came about since shortstop Xander Bogaerts had a day off. “We felt like Tatis was the best option at second base, and the most fun and exciting option at second base,” manager Craig Stammen told The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and other reporters, as the Padres look for ways to juggle their lineup, find at-bats for everyone, and keep their players fresh.
Needless to say, Tatis isn’t leaving his regular right field spot any time soon, but getting the odd game in at the keystone can add to his already high defensive value. Stammen also suggested that the position change might get Tatis rolling after a slow start at the plate, and Tatis’ three-hit night indicates that the tactic may have worked.
More from around the NL West…
- X-rays were negative on Luis Arraez‘s right wrist after the Giants second baseman was removed from yesterday’s game. An unusual play at second base saw Dylan Beavers accidentally kick Arraez in the hand while trying to avoid a tag in the bottom of the fourth inning, and Arraez was removed before the bottom of the fifth. Arraez is day-to-day for now, and since the Giants don’t play on Monday, it seems likely that he’ll be held out of today’s lineup to get two full days of recuperation. After signing a one-year, $12MM free agent deal with San Francisco, Arraez is off to a nice start with his new team, hitting .304/.339/.393 over his first 63 plate appearances.
- Sam Hentges also joined the Giants on a one-year, $1.4MM deal this offseason, and the reliever looks to finally be nearing his first game action of any kind since August 2024, as the A-level San Jose Giants announced that Hentges is joining the team on a rehab assignment. Hentges posted a 2.93 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over 138 innings out of the Guardians’ pen in 2022-24, but his career was then put on hold by a shoulder surgery in September 2024, and then an arthroscopic right knee surgery last September. The left-hander’s rehab assignment figures to be pretty lengthy given how long Hentges has been sidelined, but he could be an intriguing x-factor in San Francisco’s bullpen when healthy.
- Blake Snell threw a 15-pitch simulated inning yesterday, facing live batters for the first time since Game 7 of the World Series. Snell began the season on the Dodgers‘ 15-day injured list due to shoulder fatigue, and he said a month ago following his first Spring Training bullpen session that he was aiming to make his season debut before the end of April. That timeline might be delayed slightly, as manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Courtney Hollmon and other reporters that the team wants to see Snell built up in throwing sessions to the equivalent of four innings before Snell goes on a rehab assignment.
- Tommy Edman was one of the batters at the plate during Snell’s sim inning, which also marked the first time Edman had faced live pitching since he underwent ankle surgery last November. Edman began the season on the 10-day injured list but Roberts told Hollmon and company that the Dodgers aren’t expecting Edman back until closer to the end of May since he is “not at full speed” yet in terms of running. The timing means that Edman could be shifted to the 60-day IL at some point if Los Angeles needs a 40-man roster spot, though that decision won’t be made until Edman is deeper into the recovery process.
Diamondbacks Notes: Moreno, Carroll, Kelly, Pfaadt
Gabriel Moreno is set to undergo an MRI today after leaving yesterday’s game due to lower back tightness, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes. Manager Torey Lovullo told Piecoro and other media yesterday that Moreno was viewed as day-to-day, and the catcher downplayed the seriousness of the issue.
The MRI could simply be a precaution given Moreno’s early exit. Moreno took one plate appearance and caught the first two innings of the Diamondbacks’ 5-4 win over the Phillies, and Moreno ended the bottom of the second by throwing out Justin Crawford on a steal attempt. Once the bottom of the third began, however, James McCann had replaced Moreno behind the plate.
The D’Backs are better equipped than most teams in handling a day-to-day injury to a catcher, as McCann and Adrian Del Castillo are both already on the active roster. Since Arizona is already dealing with several injuries up and down the lineup, the club has been able to find at-bats for all three backstops, as Del Castillo (who himself started the season on the injured list with a minor calf strain) has made two starts at DH.
Despite this catching depth, obviously the Diamondbacks hope Moreno’s back issue won’t prevent him from soon returning to action. Moreno has a solid .275/.333/.400 slash line and five doubles over his first 45 plate appearances, making him one of the more productive hitters within an Arizona lineup that has yet to really get going this season.
Corbin Carroll has been a huge part of the Diamondbacks’ offense, beginning his season by hitting .333/.408/.690 with two homers and three triples in 49 PA. The hot start came in spite of a hamate surgery that cost Carroll most of Spring Training, but he is now dealing with a new injury — a minor hip problem that has sidelined him for the last two games. Lovullo said Carroll was available off the bench yesterday and might play as early as today, plus the hip injury wasn’t considered serious enough to merit an MRI for further examination.
Moving onto the pitching side of the injured list, Merrill Kelly is slated to make his season debut during Arizona’s upcoming road series in Baltimore, which begins on Monday. Lovullo told Piecoro and company that the plan is for Kelly to toss a bullpen session with the big league team this weekend, as a final check-up before Kelly is activated from the 15-day injured list.
Kelly’s injury was officially termed as intercostal nerve irritation. The bad back kept the right-hander on the shelf for most of Spring Training, and cost him the honor of being the Diamondbacks’ Opening Day starter. Kelly tossed 6 1/3 innings during three Cactus League games, five innings during a Triple-A rehab start on April 3, and 83 pitches over six innings of work during an extended Spring Training game last Thursday (as per reporter Jody Jackson).
With Kelly on the verge of returning, Piecoro feels Brandon Pfaadt will probably be removed from the rotation. Pfaadt is starting today’s game with the Phillies, so there might be a bit of extra pressure on the right-hander if he’s competing to keep his spot. Michael Soroka is the other starter whose rotation spot is less assured, but Soroka has a 2.87 ERA through 15 2/3 innings and three starts.
While Soroka has been solid, Pfaadt has a 6.75 ERA over 10 2/3 frames in his first two starts of 2026. If he isn’t starting, Piecoro writes that the D’Backs could use Pfaadt in an extended long relief role on the active roster, rather than send him to Triple-A to keep him stretched out as a proper starter.
Marlins Notes: Stowers, Conine, De Los Santos
Marlins’ outfielder Kyle Stowers is nearing a return, according to MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. Stowers will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp this Friday. The 28-year-old enjoyed a breakout 2025 after cracking 25 homers, and his 149 wRC+ (a ballpark-adjusted measure of total offensive production that indicates he was 49% better than a league-average hitter) ranked 8th among all batters with a minimum of 450 PAs.
Stowers, who primarily split time between the corner outfield spots last year, has begun taking first base drills in addition to his usual outfield work. While manager Clayton McCullough didn’t commit to using Stowers there, he called it “a possibility” that the Fish could occasionally get him first base work in games. Coming off a Grade-1 hamstring injury, the Marlins will be keen to protect their star hitter’s health and address the void at 1B in the wake of Christopher Morel’s oblique injury.
In Morel’s absence, the Marlins have Frankensteined a first baseman, primarily out of Connor Norby and contributions from Liam Hicks, Graham Pauley, and prospect Deyvison De Los Santos. Although the early returns have been positive, there are some roster advantages to having Stowers at first. While Stowers has not donned a first base mitt professionally at any level, the Marlins have a glut of outfield options with Jakob Marsee, Owen Caissie, Heriberto Hernandez, Griffin Conine, and Austin Slater on the active roster. Playing Stowers at first base also gives them the option to insert an extra left-hander into the lineup alongside Griffin, Marsee, and Caissie, and despite being a finalist for the 2025 left field Gold Glove, advanced defensive metrics like DRS (1) and FRV (0) value Stowers’ contributions as neutral/average (in Stowers’ defense, none of the other Marlins’ outfielders are pushing him out of left with their defensive production to this point).
However, not all the health news coming out of Miami is positive: Conine exited Thursday’s game against the Reds with left hamstring discomfort, McCullough told reporters (including Kevin Barral of Fish on First). Conine has been hot in the early going with a .300/.390/.650 triple-slash with a pair of homers and steals, good for a 188 wRC+ (88% better offensive production than league average), but he may have an IL trip ahead of him. Barral also notes that De Los Santos was pulled from the Jacksonville lineup mid-game as a possible precursor to a corresponding move (should Conine’s injury warrant an IL trip). De Los Santos, who profiles as an aggressive, power-over-hit batter, should be in the mix for first base starts alongside fellow righty hitter Connor Norby while the Marlins continue to weigh their options at first and in the outfield.