Marlins Recall Joe Mack For MLB Debut, Option Agustin Ramirez
May 4: Miami has formally announced both moves. Mack has been recalled from Jacksonville, and Ramirez has been optioned there in his place.
May 3: The Marlins will promote top catching prospect Joe Mack prior to tomorrow’s game with the Phillies, SportsGrid’s Craig Mish reports. Agustin Ramirez will be optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding 26-man roster move, and Mack is already on Miami’s 40-man roster.
Mack was the 31st overall pick of the 2021 draft, and after steadily working his way up the Marlins’ minor league ladder, the 23-year-old is now on the cusp of his Major League debut. Baseball America ranks Mack as the 50th-best prospect in the sport, and pundits like The Athletic’s Keith Law (52nd), MLB Pipeline (54th) and ESPN.com (61st) also have Mack listed within their top-100 rankings.
The consensus is that Mack is ready for the big leagues on defense alone, as he has received praise for his framing, blocking, and strong throwing arm. There have been fewer questions about his ability to hit since Mack bounced back from a poor 2023 season to post much better numbers across the last three minor league campaigns, and he has hit .249/.334/.444 with 21 home runs over 515 plate appearances with Triple-A Jacksonville.
Mack’s approach is a little all-or-nothing since he is primarily looking to pull the ball in the air, but even if this leads to his share of strikeouts, Mack has enough power to capitalize when he does make contact. Over 103 PA in Jacksonville this season, Mack’s walk rate has shot up to 19.4% (from 8.5% in 412 Triple-A PA in 2025) and he has reduced his strikeout rate from 27.9% to 21.4%.
It was seen as just a matter of time before Mack got the call to the Show, even if the Marlins opted against including Mack on their Opening Day roster. Miami continued with the catching tandem of Ramirez and Liam Hicks, and Hicks has broken out to hit .309/.366/.557 with seven homers over 112 PA while splitting time between catcher, first base, and DH.
Ramirez, however, is hitting .230/.318/.345 with two home runs over 129 PA, making him the odd man out of the catching picture. Ramirez went yard 21 times in 2025 while batting .231/.287/.413 in 585 PA, but his dropoff in power has taken away his most potent offensive weapon. Since Ramirez is also arguably the worst defensive catcher in baseball, there wasn’t much of a case to continue giving him at-bats while Mack was ready to go at Triple-A, as MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald argued earlier this week.
Since Hicks is also nothing special in terms of glovework, putting Mack behind the plate should have an immediate impact on the Marlins from a defensive standpoint. While obviously the hope is that Mack can adjust quickly as a big league hitter, producing even average offense in his first looks at MLB pitching would be a bonus along with the ripple effect that Mack’s defense brings to Miami’s run-prevention efforts.
Because Mack is only coming up to the majors now, the Marlins wouldn’t earn a bonus draft pick via the Prospect Promotion Incentive if he wins NL Rookie of the Year (or has a top-three MVP finish before he is eligible for arbitration). However, Mack himself would earn a full year of big league service time if he does manage a top-two ROY finish, and he is currently on pace to achieve Super Two status and an extra year of salary arbitration eligibility if he remains on Miami’s active roster.
Cionel Perez Elects Free Agency
May 4: Perez has rejected his outright assignment in favor of free agency, the Nationals announced Monday.
May 2: The Nationals announced that left-hander Cionel Perez has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Rochester. Right-hander Orlando Ribalta was called up from Triple-A to take Perez’s spot on the 26-man roster, and Washington now has only 39 players on its 40-man roster.
There wasn’t any previous indication that Perez had been designated for assignment, and the lefty actually pitched just yesterday in the Nationals’ 6-1 loss to the Brewers. Perez tossed two scoreless innings in what could be his final game in a Nats uniform, and the transaction could’ve been made in part so Ribalta could provide a fresh arm for the bullpen. Since other relievers still have minor league options remaining, however, the Perez outright could indicate that the team has just decided to move on from the 30-year-old.
Signed to a minor league deal over the offseason, Perez made the Nats’ Opening Day roster and thus locked in a $1.9MM guaranteed salary. Things haven’t gone well, as Perez has recorded more walks (11) than strikeouts (nine) while posting a 6.19 ERA over 16 innings. Batters have been making tons of hard contact against Perez’s pitches, and the damage could be even worse if it wasn’t for Perez’s 60.4% grounder rate and a favorable .275 BABIP.
Perez has been outrighted in the past, so he has the right to decline the Nationals’ assignment to Rochester in favor of free agency. Perez’s month-plus on Washington’s roster has now given him enough big league service time to cross the five-year threshold, so he can now retain the approximately $1.5MM remaining of his $1.9MM salary even by becoming a free agent. If Perez signs elsewhere, his new team would pay him the prorated portion of the league minimum salary, which is subtracted from the $1.5MM sum that is still Washington’s responsibility.
Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast
On the MLB Trade Rumors podcast, we regularly answer questions from our readers and listeners. With the next episode set for Wednesday, we’re looking for MLBTR’s audience to submit their questions and we’ll pick a few to answer.
The 2026 season is humming along. Do you have a question about a hot or cold start in the early going? The upcoming trade deadline? Next winter’s potential labor showdown? If you have a question on those topics or anything else baseball-related, we’d love to hear from you! You can email your questions to mlbtrpod@gmail.com.
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In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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.
The Opener: Mack, Petty, Cubs
Longtime Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling has passed away at the age of 87, first reported by WFAN Sports Radio. He was the voice of the club from 1989 to 2024. Sterling’s “The Yankees win!” call was one of the more iconic post-victory catchphrases in the sport.
1. Mack heading to Miami
The Marlins are expected to call up catcher Joe Mack for his big-league debut on Monday against the Phillies. The 23-year-old backstop is a consensus top 100 prospect and one of the more promising bats in Miami’s system. Mack has hit at just about every level of the minor leagues, but his most intriguing attribute, considering team context, might be his defense. Mack has a huge arm and has earned strong marks for framing and blocking. FanGraphs gave him a 60 current grade as a defender. The Marlins have struggled mightily behind the plate and in controlling the running game, as Darragh McDonald broke down last week.
2. Petty back with Reds
The Reds are planning to recall right-hander Chase Petty to start against the Cubs, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Petty’s 2025 debut didn’t go as planned, but a six-inning sample isn’t enough to determine his MLB future. The righty was pounded for nine earned runs in his first career start. Petty finished his brief big-league stint with a 19.50 ERA over three appearances. He had more walks (8) than strikeouts (7) and allowed three home runs. Petty’s 10.4% walk rate at Triple-A this year is a slight concern, but he’s punching out minor leaguers at a strong 27.4% clip. Cincinnati is heading to Chicago for a fascinating four-game series against the division-leading Cubs.
3. Cubs streaking again
Speaking of those Cubbies, the team has ripped off five wins in a row after sweeping the Diamondbacks over the weekend. Chicago had a 10-game winning streak come to an end in Los Angeles last weekend, but the club is back on track with another stretch of victories. The NL Central is turning into one of the more compelling battles in the league. Every team in the division is comfortably over .500 after the Pirates swept the Reds over the weekend. Pittsburgh’s 19-16 record would be good enough for first place in the AL Central and the AL West. Instead, the Pirates are in last place in the NL Central. Cincinnati is two games back of Chicago and can make a move up the standings this week.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
AL Injury Notes: Raleigh, Suarez, Jenkins, Smith
Cal Raleigh has missed the Mariners‘ last two games after he felt soreness in his right side in the aftermath of Friday’s game, and the team and the catcher are still waiting on MRI results to determine the extent (if any) of the injury. Speaking with the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish and other reporters today, Raleigh said he felt better “compared to where it was feeling postgame Friday and [Saturday] early. Very positive, very encouraging. So that’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
As a precaution, the Mariners called up catcher Jhonny Pereda from Triple-A on Saturday when Will Wilson was placed on the 10-day IL due to a thumb fracture. Infielder Ryan Bliss joined the taxi squad today as further infield depth in Wilson’s place if the decision was made to place Raleigh on the IL, and the M’s might have to make that call by tomorrow to ensure that Raleigh’s IL stint can start within the three-day backdating period.
More on some of the many injuries that arose during today’s action in both the majors and minors…
- A hamstring strain forced Ranger Suarez out of today’s game after four innings, but the Red Sox left-hander told The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey that he is hopeful the injury isn’t serious enough to cost him even his next start. Suarez will stay in Boston to rest while the Sox make a three-day mini-trip to Detroit, and an MRI isn’t planned. It’s a situation to monitor over the next few days, as the Red Sox already have six starters (including Garrett Crochet and Sonny Gray) on the injured list. On top of those concerns, manager Chad Tracy told reporters that the team may use an opener ahead of Brayan Bello on Tuesday, so the struggling Bello can avoid the left-handed bats atop Detroit’s lineup.
- Top Twins prospect Walker Jenkins left today’s Triple-A game with a left shoulder injury after colliding with the outfield wall after making a catch. Jenkins was in obvious discomfort in the aftermath, and he’ll undergo testing to determine the extent of the injury. The fifth overall pick of the 2023 draft, Jenkins has hit .250/.389/.386 over 108 Triple-A plate appearances this season, and is expected to make his MLB debut at some point in 2026 if this shoulder problem doesn’t scuttle those plans.
- Shane Smith will miss at least two weeks on the Triple-A injured list due to a right rotator cuff strain, as the White Sox announced today. The injury is another setback for Smith, who posted a 10.80 ERA in his first two big league starts this season and then a 5.27 ERA in 13 2/3 Triple-A innings after being optioned to Charlotte.
Brewers Notes: Chourio, Vaughn, Misiorowski, Henderson
Jackson Chourio‘s 2026 debut may be delayed by at least a few more days, as the outfielder fouled a ball off his left ankle during a Triple-A rehab game on Saturday. “We got an X-ray on it right away and thank God it’s negative,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak and other reporters, though “we’ve got to see how he progresses. Today’s going to be a critical day.”
It isn’t uncommon to see players placed on the injured list in these instances, as even if a foul ball may not fracture or break anything, there can often be lingering soreness for days afterwards. Given Chourio’s importance to the Brewers, the team isn’t likely to rush anything in terms of his return, even if that means Chourio spends more time in Triple-A or his official rehab period is halted entirely.
Chourio knows all too well how a seemingly innocuous injury can linger, as x-rays were also negative on his left hand when he was hit by a pitch during a World Baseball Classic exhibition on March 4. The outfielder went onto play in the WBC and for the Brewers during the rest of Spring Training, but some additional soreness led to a check-up MRI just prior to Opening Day, and a new diagnosis of a minor hairline fracture.
As such, Chourio has yet to see any big league action this year, and he was already beyond the initial recovery timeline of 2-to-4 weeks. Monday was expected to be his activation date from the 10-day IL, before that errant foul ball delivered another setback.
It isn’t all bad news for the start of tomorrow’s series with the Cardinals, however, as Andrew Vaughn is expected to be activated from the 10-day IL. Vaughn’s 2026 campaign consists of just one game, as he sustained a hamate bone injury on Opening Day that required surgery. His recovery process hasn’t hit any snags, so he’ll return within the usual 4-to-6 week timeline associated to hamate surgeries.
After being dealt from the White Sox to the Brewers last June, Vaughn’s bat came to life, as he hit .308/.375/.493 with nine home runs in 254 plate appearances with his new club. Jake Bauers has done decently well while getting most of the first base playing time in Vaughn’s absence, but naturally Milwaukee’s lineup will benefit from getting closer to full strength.
It also looks like Jacob Misiorowski may have dodged a bullet after leaving his last start due to a hamstring cramp. Misiorowski came out a running drill yesterday feeling fine, but Murphy cautioned that the Brew Crew won’t be fully comfortable with the right-hander’s status until he throws without any discomfort. If all goes well, Misiorowski should line up to make his next start on Wednesday in St. Louis.
Brandon Woodruff‘s placement on the 15-day IL on Friday already left Milwaukee’s rotation even more short-handed, as Quinn Priester has yet to pitch this season due to a nerve problem in his throwing shoulder. The Brewers turned to Logan Henderson for the spot start today in Woodruff’s place, and Henderson delivered a quality start in the 3-2 loss to the Nationals. Henderson allowed two runs on three hits over six innings of work, while recording eight strikeouts and zero walks.
Henderson’s young career has been plagued by injuries to date, and he has logged only 302 1/3 pro innings (269 in the minors, 33 1/3 in the majors) since he was a fourth-round pick for Milwaukee in the 2021 draft. The right-hander made his MLB debut last season in the form of 25 1/3 innings, but his rookie year was cut short by elbow inflammation in early August. While the Brewers will continue to be careful with Henderson’s innings, today’s start might well earn him more looks in the big league rotation.
Nationals Sign Shawn Dubin To Minors Contract
The Nationals signed right-hander Shawn Dubin to a minor league contract, as reflected on the team’s official transactions page. Dubin made his debut with Triple-A Rochester yesterday, tossing a scoreless inning of relief work.
Dubin has a 4.81 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, and 10.2% walk rate over 88 career innings in the majors, all with the Astros and Orioles during the 2023-25 seasons. The righty had spent his whole career in the Astros organization before he was designated for assignment last August and then claimed by Baltimore. The O’s outrighted Dubin in November and he caught on with the Diamondbacks on a minors deal, but he was released from that contract 10 days ago after just two games with Triple-A Reno.
Washington has already used 22 different pitchers this season, so Dubin has a good chance of making it back to the majors as part of the Nats’ bullpen churn. Dubin is out of minor league options, however, so any call-up may well be followed by a DFA if the Nationals want to get another fresh reliever in the pen.
The Nats’ bullpen is unsettled enough that there’s opportunity for Dubin to stick around if his contract is selected. Dubin’s history as a swingman and long reliever makes him a candidate to eat innings, and he has shown good-to-great strikeout ability in the minors, even if he has yet to miss many bats during his time in the majors.
Giants To Promote Bryce Eldridge, Jesus Rodriguez
The Giants will promote prospects Bryce Eldridge and Jesus Rodriguez prior to Monday’s game with the Padres, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Slusser wrote earlier today that the Giants were giving “serious consideration” to bringing the duo up to the Show, and neither Eldridge or Rodriguez were in the lineup today for Triple-A Sacramento.
Both players are already on the 40-man roster, so the Giants will just need to make two 26-man roster adjustments to create space. Eldridge made his MLB debut in the form of 10 games last season, while Rodriguez is on the verge of his big league debut.
While nobody expects two rookies to instantly change the team’s fortunes, it isn’t surprising that the Giants are looking for any kind of spark for their dismal offense. Heading into Sunday’s action, San Francisco ranked 30th of 30 teams in runs (105), home runs (19), and stolen bases (eight), while ranking 29th in OBP (.289) and OPS (.646).
The lineup sputtered again in today’s 2-1 loss to the Rays in 10 innings, and the Giants have now lost six straight games. The 12-win Mets are the only team in baseball with fewer victories than the 13-21 Giants, underlining San Francisco’s struggles over the first five weeks of play.
Eldridge has been a consensus top-30 prospect for the last couple of years, though the 16th overall pick of the 2023 draft hit only .107/.297/.179 over his first 37 plate appearances in the Show. He struck out in 13 of those 37 trips to the dish, and the Giants’ decision to start Eldridge’s 2026 campaign at Triple-A was due in part to the team’s desire to see the 21-year-old correct those contact issues. This specific problem hasn’t been solved since Eldridge has whiffed 41 times in 137 PA so far in Sacramento this season, but he is crushing the ball to the tune of a .333/.445/.518 slash line and five home runs.
Though Eldridge played 23 games in right field during his first minor league season, he has since played only first base. That means the Giants would have to use Eldridge and Rafael Devers in some combination as the first baseman and DH. Casey Schmitt has been in that timeshare with Devers so far, and removing Schmitt from the lineup is an issue since Schmitt has (surprisingly) been far and away the Giants’ best hitter in the early going.
Schmitt has experience at all four infield positions, but inserting him elsewhere around the diamond would mean the Giants would have to sit one of Devers, Luis Arraez, Matt Chapman, or Willy Adames. Arraez is the only member of that group who is hitting well, but the Giants may be hesitant to take at-bats away from any their highest-paid veterans even despite their slumps.
Rodriguez would bring much more defensive versatility to Tony Vitello’s roster. The 24-year-old has played mostly as a catcher and third baseman over his minor league career, with some time in left field and at both corner outfield slots. Rodriguez has primarily stayed behind the plate this season in Sacramento, but he has made two appearances at second base and five appearances in left field.
As much as this extra versatility adds to Rodriguez’s resume, he might just end up at the catcher position. Patrick Bailey is hitting even less than usual, and the Giants may want to get more pop in the lineup even if it means a downgrade in terms of catcher defense. Rule 5 pick Daniel Susac was off to a blazing start at the plate, but is expected to miss perhaps another week on the 10-day IL while he recovers from elbow neuritis. Veteran Eric Haase had his minor league contract selected in the wake of Susac’s injury and is probably a DFA candidate tomorrow when Rodriguez is called up.
For all of Rodriguez’s multi-positional usage, he isn’t considered much of a defender at any position. As a catcher, Rodriguez has subpar blocking and receiving skills, though he is a good pitch-framer and he has a good throwing arm.
At the plate, Rodriguez has posted at least solid hitting numbers at all levels of the minors, including a .330/.400/.440 slash line with two home runs over 115 Triple-A plate appearances this year. Rodriguez has a knack for getting on base and making a lot of solid contact, yet the MLB Pipeline and Baseball America scouting reports note that his contact ability can work against him to some extent — Rodriguez goes after a lot of pitches outside the strike zone, resulting in less-than-ideal contact.
Pipeline ranks Rodriguez 18th on their list of Giants prospects, and Baseball America puts him 19th. He began his career as an international prospect in the Yankees’ farm system, and Rodriguez was one of the four minor leaguers acquired at last year’s trade deadline as San Francisco’s return for sending Camilo Doval to the Bronx.
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.