Mets Release Anderson Severino
The Mets have released left-hander Anderson Severino, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon. Severino was designated for assignment last week, and Sammon indicates that the release was granted so Severino could sign with a Japanese team.
The southpaw is no stranger to international play, as Severino pitched in the Mexican League during the 2024-25 seasons. He made his return to affiliated ball this year after signing a minor league deal with the Mets over the offseason, and Severino posted a 1.31 ERA over 20 2/3 innings with Triple-A Syracuse. Despite the impressive ERA, Severino’s grounder-heavy (51.1% groundball rate) got a lot of help from a .229 BABIP, and his 13.8% walk rate indicated some control issues.
Those under-the-hood numbers were likely the reason why the Mets (despite their penchant for cycling through relievers) didn’t give Severino a look at the MLB level. His only Major League experience consists of six games and 7 1/3 innings with the White Sox in 2022, as Severino posted a 6.14 ERA over his couple of weeks in the Show.
Severino has worked as a reliever for almost the entirety of his pro career, so he isn’t likely to explore a move to starting pitching in Nippon Professional Baseball. A good showing in Japan could very well get Severino back onto the radar for big league teams down the road, or perhaps lead to a longer stint in NPB for the 31-year-old.
Twins Recall Royce Lewis, Designate James Outman
Royce Lewis is back in the majors, as the Twins announced that the infielder has been called up from Triple-A St. Paul. Outfielder James Outman was designated for assignment in the corresponding move, so Minnesota now has an open spot on its 40-man roster.
Lewis’ ugly .163/.261/.279 slash line over his first 119 plate appearances of the season was enough to convince the Twins that the former first overall pick needed a tune-up, so Lewis was optioned to St. Paul on May 19. The move has apparently worked, as Lewis’ bat has come to life against minor league pitching. Between the 13 games since his demotion and two rehab games earlier this season, Lewis has hit .333/.403/.900 in 67 PA at the Triple-A level, with a whopping 10 homers in that small sample size.
Obviously this kind of Ruthian production isn’t going to continue against MLB pitching, yet it does indicate that Lewis may have at least regained some confidence at the plate, in addition to any mechanical changes worked out with the Triple-A coaching staff. While injuries have been the dominant storyline of Lewis’ Major League career, he hasn’t been a particularly effective hitter since what seemed to be a breakout 2023 season, as Lewis has hit just .225/.285/.398 over 847 PA since Opening Day 2024.
The other interesting element to Lewis’ time in the minors has been some time spent at first and second base, in addition to his usual third base spot. It remains to be seen where Lewis will play upon his return to the majors, as Brooks Lee was moved from shortstop to third base in Lewis’ absence, with Tristan Gray getting most of the looks at shortstop.
Neither player is hitting well enough to have laid a real claim to either position, so it could be that Gray is returned to bench duty and the Twins revert to their normal infield alignment. Outman’s DFA leaves utilitymen Kody Clemens and Ryan Kreidler as the backup outfield options on the 26-man roster, so Clemens could get more time in the outfield if Lewis gets some looks as a first baseman.
Minnesota acquired Outman from the Dodgers for Brock Stewart at last year’s trade deadline, and the change of scenery didn’t help Outman regain any of the hitting prowess he showed early in his big league career. Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs for the Dodgers over 567 PA in 2023, but he has since batted .144/.235/.284 over his last 374 PA against MLB pitching. Those lowly numbers include a .156/.229/.250 slash in 70 PA this season as a backup outfielder.
This is the first time Outman has been designated for assignment, and he has less than three years of MLB service time. As such, he will have to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers or isn’t traded since the DFA period. Outman has some speed and he can play all three outfield positions, yet his offense has been so lackluster that he’ll probably clear waivers and remain in Minnesota’s organization.
Red Sox “Shopping” Connor Wong In Trade Talks
Rival teams have shown interest in Boston’s catching trio of Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Mickey Gasper, The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey reports. It seems like Wong may be viewed the most expendable of the group, as McCaffrey writes that “the Red Sox are shopping Wong in particular.”
The 2024 season was seemingly a breakout for Wong, who hit .280/.333/.425 with 13 homers over 487 plate appearances. Last year, however, Wong stumbled to a .190/.262/.238 slash line over 188 PA. His playing time was reduced first by a pinkie finger fracture that cost him a month of action early in the season, and then as Wong struggled following his IL activation, Narvaez emerged as Boston’s preferred option behind the plate.
The situation has flipped to some extent in 2026, as Wong has rebounded to hit a respectable .264/.338/.375 over 82 PA, while Narvez is hitting only .214/.290/.313 over 125 PA. Gasper wasn’t called up from Triple-A until May 7, but over the last month has also gotten a good chunk of playing time both as a catcher and a DH, as Gasper is batting .306/.353/.387 in 69 PA.
Most teams only carry two catchers on their 26-man roster, though Gasper has hit well enough to earn himself more of a look on an offensively-challenged Red Sox team. The other wrinkle is that Narvaez is clearly the best defensive catcher of the group, which may be why Wong could be the relative odd man out, if the Sox prefer Gasper’s bat and Narvaez’s glove as the preferred catching combination. Gasper and Narvaez are also both pre-arbitration players, though Wong isn’t exactly expensive — he is earning $1.375MM in 2026 in the first of his three arb years.
With former big leaguers Jason Delay and Matt Thaiss both at Triple-A, the Red Sox may feel they have enough catching depth to move Wong elsewhere if the right offer emerges. Given that catcher is a traditionally thin position around the game, it isn’t surprising that Boston is getting calls on its backstops, even if it relatively rare to see a starting-level catcher dealt in-season.
The first week of June is also a little early for trades of true consequence, as clubs generally wait until much closer to the trade deadline for such moves. The amount of parity in the American League has also made trade talks more difficult to parse, as Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow alluded to when speaking with McCaffrey and other reporters yesterday.
“[We’re] having a lot of conversations, a lot of discussions, and I think it’s been kind of true industry-wide,” Breslow said. “But there are a lot of teams that probably feel pretty similar to us, which is to say that they have confidence in their rosters, they know they’re not playing as well as they’re capable of, and really, nobody is kind of putting the postseason out of reach. So there are a bunch of teams that are in it right now and are thinking along the same lines as we are.”
While the Red Sox have a 27-35 record, they are also only 3.5 games behind the 31-32 Rangers for the last AL wild card slot. To this end, Boston has been looking to add to its roster, with right-handed hitting a particular desire for the club. Wong is a right-handed hitter with roughly even splits for his career, though 2026 has been a reverse-splits year, with Wong enjoying far more success against right-handed pitchers than against southpaws.
If the Sox do fall out of the race and decide to sell, the team would have plenty of trade chips available, particularly from its relief corps. McCaffrey notes that the Red Sox have gotten calls on Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock, and Justin Slaten, but the club currently has “no interest in dealing anyone from that bullpen trio.” That stance is understandable given how Boston’s pen has helped carry the team this season, so even in a strength-for-strength scenario, the Red Sox might not want to deplete the bullpen to address another need.
Chapman and Whitlock are technically both in the final years of their contracts, but with some level of additional control. The $13MM mutual option for Chapman’s 2027 season vests into a guaranteed salary if he pitches only 40 innings, and he has already logged 19 2/3 frames. The Red Sox hold an $8.75MM club option (with a $1MM buyout) on Whitlock for 2027, and a $10.5MM club option ($100K buyout) on his services for 2028. Slaten would probably be the toughest to pry away in a trade due to his affordability, as the right-hander doesn’t reach arbitration eligibility until this winter.
The Opener: Padres, Freeman, Sasaki, Ashcraft
Kade Morris is set to make his Major League debut today when the Athletics right-hander gets the start against the Astros. Morris will take on a Houston lineup boosted by the return of Jose Altuve, who was activated from the 10-day injured list yesterday and went 1-for-4 in the Astros’ 5-1 win over the A’s in the series opener. A Grade 2 oblique strain went Altuve to the IL on May 18, but the second baseman was able to return in less than three weeks’ time.
1. San Diego’s spiral continues
While it might not have been the top story of the night in New York sports, the Mets got a 5-0 win over the Padres on Friday, led by 5 2/3 shutout innings from Christian Scott. The defeat extended the Padres’ losing streak to six games, and San Diego has scored only 26 runs over an 11-game stretch that has seen the club post an ugly 1-10 record. Strong pitching helped San Diego paper over its offensive woes for much of the season, yet the lack of hitting seems to be catching up to the team. The Padres are hitting a collective .215/.289/.356, ranking last in the majors in all three slash categories while also scoring a league-low 235 runs.
2. Freeman finishes it
Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Dodgers a 1-0 win over the Angels on Friday. Since 1920, only five players have collected more walkoff hits in the regular season and postseason than Freeman, who now has 20 career game-ending hits. Perhaps of even greater import for the Dodgers is that Roki Sasaki recorded 10 strikeouts over seven shutout innings, as Sasaki continues to round into form. Sasaki posted a 5.88 ERA over his first 33 2/3 innings and seven starts of the season, but has now delivered a 1.48 ERA over his last four starts and 4 1/3 frames.
3. Braxton battles the Braves
A nice pitching matchup is on tap today in Atlanta, as Spencer Strider leads the Braves against Braxton Ashcraft and the Pirates. While Paul Skenes rightly gets the nod as Pittsburgh’s ace, Ashcraft has been only a step behind with a 2.77 ERA, 27.3% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate over 74 2/3 innings. The second-year starter faces a big test in the league-leading Braves, who improved to 43-21 after Friday’s 6-3 win over the Pirates in the series opener.
Is It Even Worth It For The Mets To Be Sellers?
The Mets' season spiraled out of control far quicker than anyone could have reasonably anticipated. Even those who thought New York's NL club would miss the 2026 postseason probably weren't forecasting a 27-35 record placing them third from the bottom in the league, trailing a rebuilding Nationals club or a $75MM-payroll Marlins team.
Many Mets fans are -- understandably! -- waving the white flag already and calling for the team to be deadline sellers. The Mets, unsurprisingly, aren't in any rush to part with veteran players. No team is pivoting to sellers in early June. The Mets might very well end up in that bucket come late July/early August, but unless they're 10 or more games back at that point, the expected return doesn't necessarily outweigh the faint playoff chances they might still harbor. That's sure to be an unpopular sentiment among a vocal portion of the fan base, but let's take a look at who and what the Mets could reasonably peddle. The list of appealing trade candidates isn't especially compelling (which is a big reason they're in this mess in the first place).
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Astros Release Rhylan Thomas
The Astros have placed outfielder Rhylan Thomas on release waivers, according to the MLB.com transaction log. Houston designated him for assignment yesterday when they finalized the LaMonte Wade Jr. signing.
A release was basically inevitable as soon as the Astros took Thomas off the 40-man roster. He was placed on the minor league injured list last week. Injured players cannot be placed on outright waivers. They can be traded, but there wasn’t going to be any trade interest in an injured depth outfielder.
Houston claimed Thomas off waivers from Seattle in early May. They kept him in Triple-A, where he has spent the entire season. He has a modest .253/.304/.307 line over a combined 185 plate appearances between the two AL West affiliates. Thomas’ scant big league experience consists of three games for the Mariners last May. He went 1-8 with a double.
The 29 other teams will have an opportunity to claim Thomas off release waivers. He’ll be a free agent if he clears. Houston would presumably look to bring him back on a minor league deal, assuming he’s not dealing with a major injury.
Tigers Release Bryan Sammons, Dugan Darnell
The Tigers have released left-hander Bryan Sammons and righty Dugan Darnell, according to the transaction trackers at MLB.com. They signed minor league deals with Detroit in the offseason but are now free to sign with any club.
Sammons has been with Triple-A Toledo this year, working as a starter. Two of his ten appearances were officially as a reliever but he tossed at least 4 1/3 innings in both of those. On the whole, he has thrown 41 innings, allowing 4.83 earned runs per nine. He has struck out 19.8% of batters faced, given out walks at an 11.3% pace and induced grounders on 30.8% of balls in play.
It’s possible that the transaction is due to an injury. His last appearance was on May 21st, a game he started but in which he threw only 11 pitches. As seen in this clip of that game from Tigers ML Report, Sammons slips on the mound and is in obvious discomfort.
Now that Sammons is on the open market, he can look for his next opportunity, though his health status will obviously be a factor. His major league track record consists of 27 1/3 innings with the Tigers in 2024. He had a solid 3.62 ERA in that time, though he got some help from a .143 batting average on balls in play and 85.2% strand rate. He was outrighted off the roster after that season and then signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball for 2025. He put up a 3.78 ERA for the Marines before re-signing with the Tigers on a minor league deal coming into the 2026 season.
The Tigers have lost Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize to the injured list in the past month. Both pitchers could return fairly soon but they have joined Justin Verlander, Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson on the IL. The Tigers are currently running a four-man rotation consisting of Framber Valdez, Keider Montero, Jack Flaherty and Troy Melton, with Ty Madden and Enmanuel De Jesus in multi-inning relief roles. They have Sawyer Gipson-Long and Jake Miller on optional assignment. They could try to re-sign Sammons for more depth if he’s healthy in the near future but they could also look to other options.
Darnell has spent the entire season on the Triple-A injured list. He was recovering from a labrum procedure on his left hip at the time of signing and wasn’t expected to pitch until at least May. Darnell made his MLB debut last season with nine appearances for the Rockies. He allowed five runs with seven walks and five strikeouts across 11 2/3 innings.
Photo courtesy of Patrick Gorski, Imagn Images
Phillies Re-Sign Bryse Wilson To Minor League Deal
The Phillies re-signed righty Bryse Wilson on a minor league contract. The Pro Edge Sports Management client returns to Triple-A Lehigh Valley just two days after being granted his release from a prior minor league deal. Wilson is back on the bump for the IronPigs this evening.
A 28-year-old swingman, Wilson has pitched parts of eight seasons in the big leagues. He hasn’t reached the Majors yet in 2026, spending the entire season with Lehigh Valley. Wilson signed an offseason minor league deal and has started nine of 10 appearances in Triple-A. He has an ugly 7.23 earned run average across 47 1/3 innings. Wilson’s 22.1% strikeout rate and 52.4% ground-ball percentage are more encouraging, as he’s been victimized by opponents batting nearly .400 on balls in play.
The release and quick re-signing are fairly common this time of year. Wilson presumably triggered an opt-out in his previous agreement. Even if his camp knew a big league contract was unlikely, he’d get a couple days to explore his options and potentially renegotiate future opt-out/upward mobility dates into his new deal.
Wilson has pitched nearly 500 MLB innings across four teams. He owns a 4.82 ERA with a modest 16.6% strikeout rate at the highest level. The Phillies are light on Triple-A rotation depth, so Wilson could get a look as a swing option this summer if his minor league results start to align with the peripherals.
Padres Release Nick Castellanos
The Padres announced they’ve released Nick Castellanos. That was all but inevitable after the two-time All-Star was designated for assignment on Wednesday. San Diego also confirmed the previously reported placement of reliever Jeremiah Estrada on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 3, with right knee inflammation. David Morgan is back up from Triple-A El Paso to replace him in the bullpen.
San Diego also reinstated righty Jhony Brito from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to El Paso. Ramón Laureano, who is likely done for the season after undergoing hip surgery, was transferred to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.
San Diego rolled the dice on Castellanos after he was released by the Phillies going into Spring Training. He had a career-worst .191/.221/.339 showing in 39 games, striking out 34 times in 122 plate appearances (28%). The Padres pulled the plug this week and will use a combination of Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar for the majority of the designated hitter work. Sheets will also be pressed into some left field reps because of the Laureano injury.
There was no financial cost for the Padres. Philadelphia is paying Castellanos’ $20MM salary, minus the prorated $780K league minimum for any time he spent on another team’s roster. The Padres paid that but would’ve needed to pay the same amount to anyone they called up from the farm system instead. It’d be the same arrangement if Castellanos finds a big league opportunity with any other team this season, though he’d probably need to accept a minor league deal if he wants to continue playing.
On the pitching side, Brito returns to the roster for the first time since last May’s elbow surgery. He was nearing the end of his rehab window after beginning a minor league assignment in early May. He has made four rehab starts at Double-A, getting up to six innings. He’ll continue his ramp-up with El Paso but could be an option for a rotation that doesn’t have much certainty beyond Michael King and Randy Vásquez. If he spends another 20 days in the minors this year, he’ll be out of options going into 2027.
Angels, Logan Porter Agree To Minor League Deal
The Angels are in agreement with catcher Logan Porter on a minor league contract, reports Ari Alexander of Boston 7 News. The Gaeta Sports Management client had elected free agency this morning after being outrighted by the Giants. He’ll report to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Porter backfills the catching depth after the Halos traded Austin Wynns to the Braves on Thursday. Atlanta selected Wynns onto the MLB roster, so it’s likely his minor league deal contained some kind of upward mobility provision. That left them with Omar Martinez and 28-year-old non-roster catcher Zach Humphreys at the Triple-A level. Martinez is the only healthy catcher on the 40-man aside from the MLB duo of Logan O’Hoppe and Sebastian Rivero.
The 30-year-old Porter spent two days on the Giants’ active roster in early May. They called him up after trading Patrick Bailey to Cleveland, getting him into one game as a pinch-runner after Christian Koss was hit by a pitch. Porter was quickly optioned back to Triple-A, where he hit .241/.292/.362 in 65 plate appearances this season. He’s a .244/.359/.389 batter over five Triple-A campaigns and has appeared in 17 big league contests over parts of three seasons.