Astros Place Roddery Muñoz On Waivers
4 pm: Muñoz has been designated for assignment, the team announced. Reliever Enyel De Los Santos was activated from the IL to take Muñoz’s spot on the roster. Infielder Isaac Paredes is also back from the bereavement list. Shay Whitcomb was optioned to Triple-A.
1:45 pm: The Astros have placed Rule 5 pick Roddery Muñoz on outright waivers, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Players can be placed on waivers while remaining on the 40-man roster but it seems likely that the Astros plan to cut the right-hander. If any club claims him, they would also be bound by the Rule 5 parameters. If he clears waivers, he would have to be offered back to the Reds, who could assign him to the minors without putting him on the 40-man roster.
Muñoz was an unusual Rule 5 selection. Most guys taken in that draft have been in the minors for a few years without getting a big league shot. Muñoz had already seen a notable amount of time in the majors, having tossed 93 2/3 for the Marlins and Cardinals. He didn’t have much success, however, with a 6.73 earned run average in that time. He exhausted his option years over the 2023 to 2025 seasons.
The Cards put him on waivers in November. The Reds claimed him, non-tendered him and re-signed him to a minor league deal. Shortly thereafter, the Astros grabbed him in the Rule 5. He had a good spring, striking out 16 opponents in ten innings. He did allow five earned runs but the punchouts were enough to get him an Opening Day roster spot. Unfortunately, he has been lit up to start the season. Through four innings, he has allowed seven earned runs. He racked up six strikeouts but also gave out six walks and threw two wild pitches.
Even if Muñoz weren’t out of options, he couldn’t be sent to the minors as a Rule 5 guy. It seems the Astros have run out of patience and will make a move. As mentioned, teams are allowed to place players on waivers while keeping them on the active roster, so it’s possible Muñoz could still be with the club tonight. However, it’s also possible he gets designated for assignment before game time to make way for someone else.
Rule 5 guys can be traded or claimed off waivers. If any other team takes a shot on Muñoz, they would be bound by the same Rule 5 parameters. If he clears waivers, he’ll be offered back to the Reds. That club could send him to the minors as non-roster depth.
Photo courtesy of Troy Taormina, Imagn Images
Rule 5 Draft Update: April Edition
In last year’s Rule 5 draft, 13 players were selected in the major league phase, giving them a chance to play for a big league club in 2026. Not all of them broke camp and not all of them are healthy, so we’ll check in on the group from time to time.
For those who need a quick refresher on the parameters, the Rule 5 draft is designed to give major league chances to guys who may be blocked in their current organization. Players become eligible to be taken in the draft after a certain amount of time in the minors but can be protected from selection by being added to the 40-man roster. A player selected in the Rule 5 cannot be optioned to the minors, meaning he has to stay in the big leagues or on the injured list for the entire season. After a full season, the selecting team gets the player’s rights permanently, as long as he was active for at least 90 days. If the player is not active for 90 days, due to a significant injury, the Rule 5 parameters carry over into the next season.
If the selecting team no longer wants to roster the player, he needs to either be traded or placed on waivers. Any acquiring team would take on the same Rule 5 restrictions. If he clears waivers, he is offered back to his original organization. That club can take the player back without carrying him on the 40-man roster.
On An Active Roster
Daniel Susac, Giants C (selected from Athletics by Twins, traded to Giants)
Susac made the Opening Day roster but didn’t get his first start until last night, San Francisco’s seventh game of the season. That debut could hardly have gone much better. Susac went three for three and also drew a walk. His family was in attendance and their celebrations quickly became popular online. He also collected the obligatory post-game shower.
The Giants presumably felt pretty good about Susac’s chances of sticking as a backup to Patrick Bailey. They had the 15th pick in the draft but didn’t want to wait that long. They sent minor leaguer Miguel Caraballo to the Twins so that Minnesota could take him at #4 and then flip him to the Giants.
Susac was the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft but his minor league performance had been more decent than overwhelming. His defense behind the plate was considered passable. In Triple-A last year, he slashed .275/.349/.483, with that production translating to a 94 wRC+ in the Pacific Coast League. He has performed well since joining his new organization. He hit .350/.386/.550 in spring training and, as mentioned, his big league career is off to a good start in a small sample.
Carter Baumler, Rangers RHP (selected from Orioles by Pirates, traded to Rangers)
Like Susac, Baumler was acquired via trade on Rule 5 day. The Rangers had the 14th pick but sent minor league righty Jaiker Garcia to the Pirates in exchange for Pittsburgh selecting Baumler fifth overall and flipping him to Texas. Baumler didn’t have Susac’s draft pedigree, as he was a fifth-round pick in 2020. However, he had a strong season in 2025, split between High-A and Double-A. He tossed 39 2/3 innings, allowing 2.04 earned runs per nine. His 11.4% walk rate was high but he struck out 29.1% of batters faced.
He earned an Opening Day job with a strong spring, throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings with ten strikeouts and just two walks. He has thrown 4 2/3 big league innings thus far, with two earned runs allowed. He has five punchouts but has given out six walks and hit one batter. The Rangers don’t have a ton of flexibility in their bullpen at the moment. Robert Garcia and Jacob Latz are the only guys who can be optioned to the minors and Garcia’s not going anywhere. Baumler will presumably need some better control if he is to hang onto his spot.
Ryan Watson, Red Sox RHP (selected from Giants by Athletics, traded to Red Sox)
Once again, we have a team giving up a prospect to effectively move up in the draft. Boston had the 22nd pick but sent infielder Justin Riemer to the Athletics for Watson, after the A’s grabbed him in the #8 spot.
Watson was not really a top prospect. He was a 39th-round pick way back in 2016, before the draft was shortened to 20 rounds. He spent the 2025 season pitching in Triple-A as a 27-year-old and posted a 4.26 ERA. The Sox looked beyond that ERA number, which was posted in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and focused more on his 28.1% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate.
He didn’t have an overwhelming spring performance, tossing 11 1/3 innings, allowing seven earned runs with seven strikeouts. He broke camp with the Sox regardless and has made two big league appearances thus far. He has allowed two earned runs in 3 2/3 innings with three strikeouts but five walks.
Roddery Muñoz, Astros RHP (selected from Reds)
This was a bit of an unusual Rule 5 pick, as Muñoz already had already pitched in the majors in previous seasons. In fact, he had exhausted his three option years from 2023 to 2025. The Reds claimed him off waivers from the Cardinals in November, non-tendered him and then re-signed him to a minor league deal, but then the Astros plucked him away in the Rule 5.
Muñoz had a strong spring, with 16 strikeouts and two walks in 10 innings, though he allowed five earned runs. His two regular season appearances haven’t been as smooth. He does have four strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings but has also walked four and thrown two wild pitches. Overall, he has a 6.73 ERA in 96 1/3 career innings.
Peyton Pallette, Guardians RHP (selected from White Sox)
Pallette was a second-round pick in 2022. Initially a starter, he eventually moved to relief with some encouraging results. In 2025, he tossed 64 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A with a 4.06 ERA. His 10.6% walk rate was high but he struck out 32.5% of batters faced.
The Guards brought him into camp and he performed well, firing six scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts and three walks. He broke camp and has made two big league appearances thus far, tossing 3 2/3 innings with one earned run allowed. He has struck out three with just one walk, but has also hit a batter and thrown a wild pitch.
Spencer Miles, Blue Jays RHP (selected from Giants)
Miles was a very unusual Rule 5 pick. Drafted in 2022, he barely pitched in the subsequent years due to injuries, including Tommy John surgery. He had exactly 14 2/3 innings of minor league ball on his ledger as of the Rule 5 draft. That would have made him a surprising choice to be taken by any club but it was even more unexpected when he was selected by a club expecting to contend.
Regardless, Miles earned a spot with a decent spring. He tossed 9 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs with 11 strikeouts against five walks. His major league debut was great. On Saturday, he was put into a tied game in the 11th inning. Despite starting with a runner on second, he put up a zero and got the win when the Jays walked it off in the bottom of the frame. His next appearance wasn’t as storybook, as he allowed the Rockies to score three times in an inning and a third.
Cade Winquest, Yankees RHP (selected from Cardinals)
It’s pretty rare for the Yankees to make a pick in the Rule 5 draft and actually keep him. Josh Phelps in 2007 was the last time the Yanks kept a healthy Rule 5 guy on their Opening Day roster. Even that one wasn’t typical, as Phelps made his MLB debut way back in 2000 and already had lots of big league experience.
They decided Winquest was worth breaking that pattern. An eighth-round pick from 2022, Winquest was never really a highly-touted prospect but he had a strong 2025 season. Split between High-A and Double-A, he tossed 106 innings with a 3.99 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, 8.5% walk rate and 48% ground ball rate. He didn’t have a dominant spring. He tossed 10 innings, allowing eight earned runs with eight strikeouts. He walked four opponents, hit one more and threw one wild pitch. He broke camp with the club but still hasn’t made his major league debut.
Currently On Major League Injured List
RJ Petit, Rockies RHP (selected from Tigers)
The Rockies took Petit with the very first pick in the Rule 5 draft but he required Tommy John surgery a couple of weeks ago. He has already been placed on the 60-day injured list and will stay there for the entire season. There’s no IL in the offseason, so the Rockies will have to put him back on the 40-man if they plan to carry him into the 2027 season. As mentioned up top, the Rule 5 restrictions would carry over until Petit has been active for 90 days.
Matt Pushard, Cardinals (selected from Marlins)
Pushard landed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week due to right knee patellar tendinitis. His timeline is unclear but there’s nothing to indicate the Cards expect a lengthy absence. Last year, he posted a 3.61 ERA in 62 1/3 Triple-A innings, with a 28.5% strikeout rate, 9% walk rate and 43% ground ball rate. He had a solid spring, tossing 8 2/3 innings with three earned runs allowed, nine strikeouts and two walks. He made one regular season appearance before landing on the IL, allowing three earned runs in one inning of work.
DFA Limbo
Jedixson Páez, RHP (selected by White Sox from Red Sox)
The White Sox took Páez with the second pick in the Rule 5 draft. It was going to be a challenge for him to stick with Chicago as he had never pitched at Triple-A or even at the Double-A level. The White Sox broke camp with him but it wasn’t to be. He made three appearances, allowing six earned runs without striking out a batter. He was designated for assignment earlier this week when the Sox added Lucas Sims to the roster. He is still in DFA limbo but could be back with the Red Sox in the coming days.
Returned To Original Organization
Griff McGarry, RHP (returned to Phillies by Nationals)
McGarry was once a notable prospect for the Phillies but some control problems lowered his stock to the point where he was left exposed in the Rule 5. The Nationals took a chance on him but the wildness remained. He faced 27 batters in spring training and walked five of them, an 18.5% clip that’s about double league average. He also hit one more guy, meaning he gave a free pass to first to 22.2% of the opponents he faced in spring. He didn’t break camp, cleared waivers and was returned to the Phils a bit before Opening Day.
Zach McCambley, RHP (returned to Marlins by Phillies)
McCambley posted a 2.90 ERA in the minors last year, striking out 33.1% of batters faced, giving out walks at an 8.8% clip and inducing grounders on 42% of balls in play. The Phils brought him into camp and he only allowed one earned run in 7 1/3 innings, but he gave out six walks while only striking out four. He cleared waivers and was returned to the Marlins before Opening Day.
Alexander Alberto, RHP (returned to Rays by White Sox)
Like the White Sox’ other pick, Alberto was a long-shot due to a lack of upper-level experience. Both he and Páez had never pitched higher than the High-A level. Alberto tossed 6 2/3 spring innings for the Sox, allowing eight earned runs while striking out seven and walking four. He was put on waivers in mid-March, well before Opening Day, and was given back to the Rays.
Photo courtesy of Robert Edwards, Imagn Images
2025 Rule 5 Draft Results
The 2025 Rule 5 draft is taking place this afternoon at the Winter Meetings in Orlando. This post will be updated with the results as they come in.
As a refresher, the Rule 5 draft is a way for players potentially talented enough for the big leagues but blocked by their current clubs to find opportunities elsewhere. Any players that were 18 and under at the time of their original signing and went professional in 2021, and any players who turned pro at 19 years of age or older in 2022, are eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 draft if they are not on a 40-man roster.
Though the amateur (Rule 4) draft now has a lottery to determine the selection order, the Rule 5 draft still goes the old-fashioned way of reverse order of standings from the season that just ended. Clubs need to have an open 40-man roster spot in order to make a pick but aren’t obligated to make a selection on their turn. If they do make a pick, they will have to pay $100K to the team they select from. The selected players must stay on the active roster (or injured list) for the entire 2026 season or else be placed on waivers. If they clear waivers, they must be offered back to their original team. They cannot be optioned to the minors.
Players like Anthony Santander and Ryan Pressly have been notable picks in other recent years while guys like George Bell and Roberto Clemente are found deeper in the history books. Last year, 15 players were selected. Only four of those remain with the club who selected them and only three of those have had their rights fully transferred to their new club. The White Sox took Shane Smith from the Brewers. The Marlins took Liam Hicks from the Tigers. Mike Vasil was taken by the Phillies from the Mets but was later traded to the Rays and then went to the White Sox via waivers.
The one other pick from last year’s draft which is still live is Angel Bastardo, who the Blue Jays took from the Red Sox. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery and spent the entire 2025 season on the injured list. He is still on Toronto’s 40-man but they don’t yet have his full rights, as a player needs at least 90 active days to remove the Rule 5 restrictions. If the Jays are willing to roster him for about three months during the 2026 season, they could then gain his full rights and option him to the minors. All other picks were eventually returned to their original organization and/or became free agents.
This year’s picks will be featured below as they come in…
- Rockies: RHP RJ Petit (from the Tigers) (Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs was on this before the official announcement)
- White Sox: RHP Jedixson Paez (Red Sox)
- Nationals: RHP Griff McGarry (Phillies)
- Twins: C Daniel Susac (Athletics) (Susac was then traded to the Giants, per Longenhagen. The Twins will get minor league catcher Miguel Caraballo in return, per Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star Tribune)
- Pirates: RHP Carter Baumler (Orioles) (The Pirates then traded Baumler to the Rangers for RHP Jaiker Garcia. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News previously suggested Texas would likely get Baumler)
- Angels: pass
- Orioles: pass
- Athletics: RHP Ryan Watson (Giants) (Will be traded to Red Sox, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The A’s will get Justin Riemer in return, per Cotillo.)
- Braves: pass
- Rays: pass
- Cardinals: RHP Matt Pushard (Marlins)
- Marlins: pass
- Diamondbacks: pass
- Rangers: pass
- Giants: pass
- Royals: pass
- Reds: pass
- Mets: pass
- Tigers: pass
- Astros: RHP Roddery Muñoz (Reds)
- Guardians: RHP Peyton Pallette (White Sox)
- Red Sox: pass
- Mariners: pass
- Padres: pass
- Cubs: pass
- Dodgers: pass
- Blue Jays: RHP Spencer Miles (Giants)
- Yankees: RHP Cade Winquest (Cardinals)
- Phillies: RHP Zach McCambley (Marlins)
- Brewers: pass
Second round (all others passed)
- White Sox: RHP Alexander Alberto (Rays)
Photo courtesy of Mike Watters, Imagn Images
National League Non-Tenders: 11/21/25
Every National League team has officially announced their non-tender decisions. It was a quiet evening in terms of subtractions, with only the Rangers parting with any marquee players. All players who were non-tendered are free agents without going on waivers. A few teams dropped pre-arbitration players from the back of the 40-man roster. It’s possible they preferred not to expose them to waivers and are hopeful of re-signing them to non-roster deals.
Here’s a full list of today’s activity in the NL, while the American League moves are available here. All projected salaries are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz.
- The Braves announced that right-handers Alek Manoah and Carson Ragsdale were not tendered contracts. Both had been acquired earlier in the offseason via waivers, and both are now free agents. Manoah was projected to earn $2.2MM. Ragsdale was not arb-eligible.
- The Brewers tendered contracts to their entire arbitration class, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
- The Cardinals chose not to tender contracts to lefty John King, catcher Yohel Pozo and righty Sem Robberse, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Jorge Alcala, who was designated for assignment earlier this week, was also non-tendered, John Denton of MLB.com adds. King and Alcala were both projected for a $2.1MM salary. The others were not arb-eligible.
- The Cubs non-tendered catcher Reese McGuire, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. He hit .226/.245/.444 through 140 plate appearances in a backup catcher role and was arb-eligible for the final time. He’d been projected to earn $1.9MM. Right-hander Eli Morgan, who was projected to earn $1.1MM, was also non-tendered, according to MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian.
- The D-backs non-tendered left-hander Tommy Henry, who’d already been designated for assignment, and right-hander Taylor Rashi. Neither was eligible for arbitration. They tendered contracts to their entire arb class.
- The Dodgers did not tender a contract to closer Evan Phillips, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He was only under club control for one more season and projected for a $6.1MM salary but underwent Tommy John surgery in June. Dodgers righty Nick Frasso, who was not arb-eligible and finished the season on the 60-day IL, was also non-tendered, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
- The Giants non-tendered left-hander Joey Lucchesi, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Lucchesi pitched to a solid 3.76 ERA with a below-average 18.8% strikeout rate and strong 7.3% walk rate in 38 1/3 innings and had been projected for a $2MM salary. San Francisco also non-tendered catcher Andrew Knizner, who was designated for assignment this afternoon when the Giants acquired Joey Wiemer from Miami.
- The Marlins tendered contracts to all of their eligible players, per Isaac Azout of Fish On First.
- The Mets are non-tendering right-hander Max Kranick, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. Kranick, 28, posted a 3.65 ERA in 37 innings with the Mets this year. It was his first big league opportunity since a five-inning cameo with the Pirates back in 2022. Kranick’s season came to an abrupt end back in July due to flexor tendon repair surgery. Southpaws Jose Castillo and Danny Young were also non-tendered, Sammon adds. Young had Tommy John surgery back in May. Castillo was a waiver claim who pitched for four different teams in 2025.
- The Nationals tendered contracts to their entire roster, per a team announcement.
- The Padres announced that lefty Omar Cruz and righty Sean Reynolds were non-tendered. Neither was arbitration-eligible. They tendered contracts to every member of their arbitration class.
- The Phillies non-tendered righties Michael Mercado and Daniel Robert, neither of whom was arbitration-eligible. They’re both free agents. The Phils tendered contracts to all of their arb-eligible players otherwise.
- The Pirates non-tendered outfielders Alexander Canario and Ronny Simon, as well as righties Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta. All four were designated for assignment earlier in the week. Holderman was projected for a $1.7MM salary and Moreta for $800K. The others weren’t arb-eligible.
- The Reds announced that catcher Will Banfield and right-handers Carson Spiers and Roddery Munoz were not tendered contracts. They’re all free agents. None of the three were arbitration-eligible, but by non-tendering them rather than designating them for assignment, Cincinnati bypasses the need to place them on waivers and can try to quickly re-sign any of the bunch to minor league deals, if the Reds are so inclined.
- The Rockies non-tendered first baseman Michael Toglia, the team announced. He’d been designated for assignment earlier in the week, making today’s non-tender all but a formality.
Reds Claim Roddery Muñoz
The Reds announced a series of roster moves today. Right-hander Sam Benschoter has been sent outright to Triple-A Louisville. Right-hander Jose Franco has been selected to the roster. Right-hander Roddery Muñoz has been claimed off waivers from the Cardinals. The Reds also lost left-hander Reiver Sanmartin to the Giants via a waiver claim, which you can read more about here.
Muñoz, 26 in April, has a limited big league track record. He has thrown 93 2/3 innings between the Marlins and Cardinals with a 6.73 earned run average, 19.5% strikeout rate, 11.9% walk rate and 32.9% ground ball rate.
He has largely been a starter in his career. The Cards converted him to a relief role this year, mostly in the minors, with intriguing results. He tossed 57 2/3 innings over 38 Triple-A appearances with a 3.28 ERA. His 12.1% walk rate was high but he punched out 30.8% of batters faced and ot grounders on 47.8% of balls in play.
He is out of options, which presumably led the Cardinals to bump him off their roster. The Reds are intrigued enough that they have grabbed him off waivers. Perhaps he can hold a roster spot through the winter and compete for a bullpen job in Cincinnati next year. It’s also possible the Reds try to pass him through waivers later in the winter.
Franco, 25 in November, was an international signing out of Venezuela back in 2018. He has climbed the minor league ladder, also with some control issues. He tossed 110 innings in 2025, split between Double-A and Triple-A, with a 3.11 ERA. His 11.5% walk rate was on the high side but he struck out 25.2% of batters faced. Back in May, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked Franco the #24 prospect in the system, predicting a future in the bullpen.
Whatever his future is, the Reds want it to be in Cincinnati. Adding him to the 40-man roster today prevents him from becoming a minor league free agent. He has a full slate of options and can be kept in Triple-A until he earns a role with the big league squad.
Benschoter, 28 in March, was added to the club’s roster on July 1st. Starter Chase Burns had only lasted a third of inning on the prior day, meaning the bullpen had to cover almost the entire game. With the relief corps gassed, Benschoter was one of a couple of fresh arms who were brought up for extra coverage.
However, he was optioned to the minors a few days later without getting into a big league game. He was recalled in August but again didn’t pitch before being optioned, so he is therefore still looking to make his major league debut. He tossed 78 2/3 Triple-A innings this year with a 4.12 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate, 6.7% walk rate and 49.1% ground ball rate.
Photo courtesy of Joe Puetz, Imagn Images
Cardinals Place Jordan Walker On 10-Day IL, Select Ryan Vilade
The Cardinals announced that outfielder Jordan Walker has been placed on the team’s 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 29) due to left wrist inflammation. Right-hander Gordon Graceffo has also been optioned to Triple-A, while coming up from Triple-A are right-hander Roddery Munoz and utilityman Ryan Vilade. In Vilade’s case, his minor league contract was selected to the Cards’ active roster.
The IL trip comes at a particularly inopportune time for Walker, as he was starting to heat up after an extended slump. After posting just a .502 OPS over his first 138 plate appearances of the season, Walker had hit .333/.353/.545 over his last 34 trips to the dish. These ups and downs have come over the first true extended stint of everyday playing time Walker has had in his three MLB seasons, as he has been the Cardinals’ starting right fielder for the majority of the 2025 season.
St. Louis came into the year committed to finding playing time for some of its younger players, and Walker has remained a lineup regular despite his struggles. With Walker now sidelined, Alec Burleson or Brendan Donovan could see more time in the outfield, and Donovan moving more into the outfield mix could open up second base for Nolan Gorman.
Vilade’s multi-positional ability should also net him some looks as the 26-year-old is on the verge of his first big league action of 2025. The Cardinals signed Vilade to a minor league deal during the offseason, and he has thus far played all three outfield positions as well as first, second, and third base over 48 games with Triple-A Memphis. Beyond his contributions to the depth chart, Vilade has also drawn attention with his bat, as he is hitting .280/.375/.476 over 192 PA with Memphis.
Vilade’s MLB resume consists of 20 career games — three with the Rockies in 2021 and 17 with the Tigers last season, with 56 PA and a .416 OPS to show for that small taste of the Show. His minor league numbers are naturally much more solid, with Vilade producing consistently better offense over parts of four seasons now of Triple-A ball.
Cardinals Claim Roddery Muñoz
The Cardinals announced that they have claimed right-hander Roddery Muñoz from the Marlins. The Fish evidently put him on waivers in recent days with St. Louis grabbing him off the wire.
Muñoz, 24, just made his major league debut with the Marlins this year. As they suffered a large number of injuries to their rotation, they had to reach into their depth, with Muñoz getting a shot in the big leagues.
The numbers weren’t especially impressive, as Muñoz posted a 6.53 earned run average in 82 2/3 innings this year. His 18.5% strikeout rate, 11.1% walk rate and 34% ground ball rate were all below league average.
Despite the uninspiring debut, Muñoz has a bit of prospect pedigree and some decent minor league results. Since the start of 2021, he has struck out 24.3% of batters faced on the farm. His 11.4% walk rate in that time was high and his 5.18 ERA unimpressive. However, a low strand rate of 64.8% could be a factor there, leading his 4.83 FIP to be a bit more palatable.
The Cardinals are set to engage in a reset year where they cut payroll and overhaul their player development apparatus. They just declined club options on Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn. They could look into trading pricey vets Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Miles Mikolas or Steven Matz this winter.
Those moves could be accompanied by others that bring in younger, cheaper and more affordable arms, but going with less-proven guys could mean depth arms become more important. Claiming Muñoz is the first of what could be many transactions that impact their rotation picture this winter.
Marlins Place Ryan Weathers On 15-Day Injured List
The Marlins have placed Ryan Weathers on the 15-day injured list due to a strain in his left index finger. Right-hander Roddery Munoz has been called up from Triple-A and will start today’s game against the Guardians.
An IL trip seemed imminent after Weather made an early exit from his start in last night’s game, as the left-hander lasted into only the third inning on 40 pitches before departing. As manager Skip Schumaker told MLB.com and other media, Weathers “just said he couldn’t feel the ball anymore with his left index finger, so once I heard that, that was enough.” Some more details on Weathers’ status and a possible recovery timeline could be available when Schumaker meets with reporters earlier today, though a lack of feeling in the finger might hint at some kind of nerve issue.
It was just two days ago that MLBTR’s Darragh McDonald profiled Weathers’ strong start to the season, highlighting how the former top prospect has enjoyed a breakout in his fourth MLB campaign. Even with Friday’s abbreviated start on his record, Weathers still has a 3.55 ERA and an excellent 51.5% grounder rate over 71 innings and 13 starts for Miami this year. A .272 BABIP has helped limit the damage since Weathers allows a lot of hard contact, yet his 6.7% walk rate is above the league average — a major improvement given how control problems plagued the southpaw earlier in his MLB career.
Beyond just the solid results, Weathers’ greatest asset has probably been simply his availability, but he has now fallen prey to the injury bug that has ravaged the Marlins’ rotation. Every member of Miami’s starting five has now been on the IL or is currently on the IL, as Weathers joins Eury Perez and Sandy Alcantara (both gone for the season due to Tommy John surgeries), Edward Cabrera (10-day IL due to shoulder impingement) and Sixto Sanchez (on the 10-day shoulder inflammation).
Munoz’s promotion was already in the works for today, as he was stepping in for Sanchez’s spot in the rotation. An off-day on Monday will give the Marlins a bit of time to reset, but now yet another depth arm will be needed to slot in behind Jesus Luzardo, Trevor Rogers, Braxton Garrett, and Munoz. The recently-acquired Shaun Anderson is probably likeliest to be the next man up, and while he has plenty of starting experience in the minors, Anderson’s last big league start came in 2019. Max Meyer excelled in his brief time on the MLB roster earlier this season, but since the Marlins are trying to manage Meyer’s innings and aren’t trying to win in 2024 anyway, the team isn’t likely to disrupt their plan for Meyer’s development unless circumstances get really dire with the rotation.
Marlins Place A.J. Puk On 15-Day Injured List
The Marlins have announced a series of roster moves in advance of today’s double-header with the Cubs, including the news that left-hander A.J. Puk has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to fatigue in his throwing shoulder. As was reported yesterday, Roddery Munoz was indeed called up from Triple-A, and he’ll officially act as the 27th man for the double-header. Right-hander Kyle Tyler will also join the active roster after his contract was selected from Triple-A, and the Marlins moved southpaw Josh Simpson to the 60-day IL to create a 40-man roster opening for Tyler.
Puk just pitched yesterday, and was tagged for seven earned runs over three innings of work in an 8-3 Miami loss to Chicago. It was the roughest yet of four lackluster starts for Puk, who now has a 9.22 ERA over 13 2/3 innings of work, with an alarming 17 walks over that brief amount of time on the mound. Manager Skip Schumaker told reporters (including Fish On First’s Isaac Azout) yesterday that the club hasn’t yet considered moving Puk back to the bullpen, though today’s injury news could change the equation considerably.
First and foremost, Puk’s lengthy injury history adds an extra layer of concern to any new health issues, even something as relatively minor as shoulder fatigue. Puk missed all of the 2018 season and a chunk of 2019 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and then missed the entire 2020 season due to a lingering shoulder problem that eventually required surgery. Since it wasn’t clear if Puk’s arm would hold up under a starter’s workload, the Athletics used him as a reliever, and the result was a breakout year in 2022. Oakland traded Puk to the Marlins in the 2022-23 offseason for JJ Bleday, and Puk continued the success last season with more strong work out of Miami’s relief corps.
With Puk now established as a big leaguer, the Marlins decided to see what he could still offer as a starter, and stretched him out this spring with an eye towards putting him into the rotation. Clearly the experiment hasn’t worked out to date, and once Puk is back from the IL, he could find himself in the relief corps again if Miami has stabilized the rest of its rotation. Between Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez undergoing Tommy John surgery and season-opening IL stints for Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett, the Fish didn’t really have much choice but to keep rolling Puk out there, though Cabrera has now since returned.
Max Meyer pitched well over three starts but was then optioned to Triple-A despite those strong results, as the Marlins are looking to limit his innings in the wake of a Tommy John surgery. Munoz is making his MLB debut today with a start against the Cubs, and Puk’s injury could mean that Munoz gets a longer look against big league competition. Tyler could also technically be a starting candidate, though the Marlins used him as a reliever in both of his Triple-A appearances this season.
Tyler has started 60 of his 108 career games in the minors, including starts in 26 of his 27 appearances with the Mariners’ Double-A affiliate in 2023. With only a 5.60 ERA to show for those 135 innings, it represented a setback for Tyler, who banked 16 1/3 innings of MLB experience with the Angels and Padres in 2021-22. He had previously pitched well in Double-A ball before running into problems in Triple-A, with a 5.68 ERA over 44 1/3 frames at the top minor league level. The Marlins signed Tyler to a minor league deal during the offseason, and he’ll give the team some extra depth in the pen at least through today’s twin bill.
Simpson started the year on the 15-day IL due to elbow ulnar neuritis, and his move to the 60-day IL means that he won’t be an option for the big league roster until late May. He has banked only one minor league appearance this season back on April 6, and between the lack of subsequent action and now this move to the 60-day IL, it remains to be seen when Simpson might be back in action. The 26-year-old has yet to make his Major League debut, but has been a member of Miami’s organization since he was drafted in the 32nd round in 2019.
Marlins To Call Up Roddery Muñoz For MLB Debut
The Marlins are going to bring up right-hander Roddery Muñoz as the 27th man for tomorrow’s double-header, per Isaac Azout of Fish on First. The righty will be making his major league debut, starting one of the two games of the twin bill.
It’s a belated birthday present for Muñoz, who just turned 24 on Sunday. The righty hasn’t been a Marlin for very long, as he actually came up as prospect in Atlanta’s system, but since July of last year, he bounced to the Nationals, Pirates and Marlins via waiver claims or cash deals.
The righty had a bit of a breakout in 2022. He made 19 starts at the High-A level that year, with a 4.03 earned run average in his 89 1/3 innings. He struck out 26.9% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 9.5% clip and getting grounders on 45.6% of balls in play. He was promoted to Double-A for three starts at the end of the year and allowed 12 earned runs in 11 innings, but the peripheral stats were pretty similar to his High-A work.
Going into 2023, Atlanta put him on their 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. Baseball America also ranked him the #22 prospect in that club’s system. But his results backed up a bit last year, which led to his aforementioned journey around the league’s DFA carousel. He eventually tossed 78 innings at his various stops throughout the year, with a 5.42 ERA in that time. His 23% strikeout rate was solid but his 15.1% walk rate was quite high.
The Marlins nonetheless took a shot on him and have since seen their starting pitching depth get thinned out. Sandy Alcántara required Tommy John surgery last year and was already known to be unavailable in 2024, but Eury Pérez has since followed him down that path. Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett also started the season on the injured list due to injuries, though Cabrera has now returned.
The rotation currently consists of Cabrera, A.J. Puk, Jesús Luzardo, Trevor Rogers and Ryan Weathers, but yesterday’s game was rained out, leading to tomorrow’s doubleheader. Since they need a sixth starter to get through this stretch, with no off-day until Thursday, the circumstances will allow Muñoz to make his debut. He has tossed 10 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level so far this year but has shown significant control problems, issuing 12 walks to just seven strikeouts.
That perhaps suggests this was mostly an emergency decision. The club also has Max Meyer and Darren McCaughan on the 40-man roster, but Meyer was just optioned to monitor his workload after he missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery. McCaughan just pitched on Wednesday and would be pitching on short rest if recalled this weekend. Muñoz may be in for just one outing before being optioned back to the minors, but it’s undoubtedly an exciting day for him regardless.