Mets Select Cionel Perez, Designate Anderson Severino
The Mets announced that they have selected the contract of left-hander Cionel Perez from Triple-A Syracuse. To create room on the 26-man and 40-man rosters, right-hander Tobias Myers was optioned to Triple-A and left-hander Anderson Severino was designated for assignment.
Perez signed a minor league deal with the Nationals last offseason and then made the Opening Day roster, thus guaranteeing a $1.9MM salary for the 2026 season. After struggling to a 6.19 ERA over 16 games and innings, Perez was outrighted off Washington’s 40-man roster at the start of May, and he rejected that outright assignment in favor of free agency. The Mets came calling with another minors contract just a couple of days later, and Perez will get another chance to get his 2026 season (and to some extent his career) back in the right direction.
A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Perez’s best work came with the Orioles from 2022-24, when he posted a 3.12 ERA and allowed only four homers over 164 2/3 innings out of the Baltimore pen. The grounder specialist’s ability to keep the ball in the park helped paper over some uninspiring strikeout and walk rates, but since Opening Day 2025, Perez has a 7.41 ERA over 37 2/3 big league innings, with 29 walks and only 30 strikeouts. While he is still generating grounders at an elite rate, Perez has given up five homers in his last two seasons of work, so batters are doing heavy damage when they’re able to get the ball in the air.
It remains to be seen if Perez can get on track in Queens, or if he might soon find himself back in DFA limbo as part of the Mets’ neverending bullpen churn. Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, and now David Peterson represent other left-handed options in New York’s relief corps, and Perez might just be on board for a cup of coffee as a fresh arm after the Mets went 10 innings in yesterday’s 9-7 win over the Marlins.
Since Perez has more than five years of MLB service time, he was able to retain his 2026 salary even after declining his outright assignment from the Nationals. That means that Washington will owe him the rest of that $1.9MM, with the Mets on the hook for just the prorated portion of a Major League minimum salary for any time Perez spends on the active roster.
Severino’s big league resume consists of six games and 7 1/3 innings (with a 6.14 ERA) for the White Sox in 2022. After being cut loose by the Sox following that season, he spent the next three seasons outside of affiliated baseball, including two years in the Mexican League before the Mets signed Severino to a minors contract in November.
New York selected Severino’s contract to its 40-man roster 11 days ago but optioned Severino to Triple-A, probably indicating that Severino had some kind of opt-out clause in his deal if he wasn’t included on a 40-man roster. His 1.31 ERA and 51.1% grounder rate over 20 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse could draw some attention on the waiver wire, but those impressive numbers are undermined by a .229 BABIP and 13.8% walk rate, plus Severino’s 25% strikeout rate isn’t anything special.
Myers’ demotion to Triple-A is also worth mentioning, as he has a 4.05 ERA over 33 1/3 innings this season (working as a proper reliever in 18 games and making two pseudo-starts as an opener). His ability to pitch multiple innings as been helpful for the Mets, but Myers has allowed at least one earned run in four of his last five outings, and he was charged for two runs during an inning of work yesterday. Myers will probably be called back up before too long, particularly if Perez is indeed just in the Show for a short amount of time.
Mets Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment, Recall Jonah Tong
The Mets announced that they have recalled right-hander Jonah Tong from Triple-A Syracuse. In a corresponding move, fellow right-hander Craig Kimbrel has been designated for assignment.
Kimbrel, 38 next week, is one of the best closers of this generation but has been more of a fringe reliever in recent years. He had to settle for a minor league deal with the Mets coming into 2026, though one that would pay him $2.5MM if he had his contract selected. He was added to the roster a couple of weeks into the season. He has tossed 15 innings for the Mets since then but has allowed 10 earned runs for a flat earned run average of 6.00.
That probably overstates how poorly he has pitched this year. His 23.4% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate are both right around league average. His .325 batting average on balls in play and 56.2% strand rate are both to the unfortunate side, as is his 15.8% home run to fly ball ratio. Measures like his 4.90 FIP and 3.76 SIERA suggest he has deserved better in that relatively small sample.
Regardless of what he deserved, the results were enough for the Mets to move on. The club has seemingly been leaning into a youth movement of sorts lately. In the past month or so, they have let go of veteran guys like Tommy Pham, Andy Ibáñez and Austin Slater while calling up A.J. Ewing, Nick Morabito, Zach Thornton and now Tong.
Kimbrel will head into DFA limbo. The Mets could explore trade interest but it may be hard to line up a deal for a pitcher in his late 30s with an ERA of 6.00 who is making a few million, no matter the track record. It is perhaps more likely that he is placed on waivers and clears, leaving the Mets on the hook for the remainder of the money.
If that comes to pass, clubs would then become more interested. They would then be able to sign Kimbrel and would only owe him the prorated portion of the league minimum salary for any time spent on the roster. Though his ERA is high, as mentioned, some of the underlying numbers are a bit more encouraging. Between that and his career track record, perhaps some club would take a shot when the cost is so low.
As for Tong, it’s unclear what role he will play on the club. He has been starting in Triple-A this year but has a 5.68 ERA. The big league rotation just lost Clay Holmes to the injured list. A fractured fibula is going to keep him out for a few months. Tobias Myers is starting today. He has starting experience but hasn’t had an outing of longer than two innings in the past three weeks, so he surely won’t be going deep into the game. Sean Manaea is capable of working long relief but Tong could give the Mets another option in that department.
This may just be a spot start for Myers or he could perhaps earn a longer look in the rotation. Four spots are currently taken by Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and David Peterson. Thornton came up and made his debut this week but allowed four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Peterson has an ERA north of 5.00 and may not be guaranteed anything going forward.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images
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.
Brewers Trade Freddy Peralta To Mets
The Mets made another splash, acquiring All-Star starter Freddy Peralta and swingman Tobias Myers from the Brewers for prospects Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat. The teams announced the blockbuster trade on Wednesday night. New York designated right-hander Cooper Criswell for assignment in a corresponding move.
After losing out on Kyle Tucker, the Mets have signed Bo Bichette and traded for Luis Robert Jr. and Peralta. Tonight’s move is arguably the biggest of the three, as Peralta gives them a legitimate #1 starter atop what had been a talented but volatile rotation. He’s coming off a career season that landed him fifth in NL Cy Young balloting.
Peralta set a career mark with 176 2/3 innings while managing a personal-best 2.70 earned run average. He punched out 28.2% of opponents behind a near-13% swinging strike rate while issuing walks at a 9.1% clip. Peralta’s underlying marks have been consistently strong over his five seasons as a full-time starter. He misses bats at a plus rate with solid command. He had been a little susceptible to the longball between 2023-24, which elevated his ERA slightly (3.77) over that span. A dip in homer rate was the biggest factor in last year’s results, but estimators like FIP and SIERA feel he has been more or less the same pitcher five years running.
The 6’0″ righty challenges hitters with his fastball, a 94-95 MPH offering that plays up because of its plus spin and life. He backs that up with a changeup that he’ll throw to hitters of either handedness and a pair of breaking balls (though he only uses his slider against righties). His willingness to attack hitters up in the zone with the fastball leads to a fly-ball approach and the occasional home run, but it’s a worthwhile tradeoff for the few baserunners he’ll allow. Opposing hitters have mustered a .210/.288/.367 batting line over the past three seasons.
Peralta also brings an excellent durability track record to stabilize a rotation that was light on established innings sources. He hasn’t required a single stint on the injured list in three years. He’s tied for fifth with 95 starts and ranks 15th with 516 innings over that stretch. Only Dylan Cease and Zack Wheeler have more strikeouts in that time. Peralta and Cease are the only pitchers to record 200+ strikeouts in each of the past three seasons. He battled some shoulder issues in 2021-22, including a lat strain that limited him to 18 appearances four years ago, but his recent health record has been clean.
Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns knows Peralta well from his time running baseball operations with Milwaukee. He’s probably the best starting pitcher who’ll get traded this offseason, so the Mets would surely have been involved even without that connection, but the familiarity only made him a more natural fit. Stearns also brought back closer Devin Williams on a three-year free agent contract as his biggest bullpen move of the winter.
The Stearns-led front office wisely locked Peralta up on an extension before his breakout. Peralta had been an unheralded amateur signee by the Mariners whom the Brewers acquired as one of three prospects in an Adam Lind trade when he was in rookie ball. He worked in a swing role with mixed results over his first two seasons. Milwaukee secured him on a $15.5MM guarantee with a pair of $8MM club options over the 2019-20 offseason. It almost immediately became one of the sport’s most team-friendly contracts.
Peralta is headed into the final season of that deal and playing on the second of those $8MM options. The Mets will happily pick up that salary and the associated $8.8MM luxury tax hit. RosterResource projects them for a $365MM competitive balance tax payroll. They ended last season with $347MM in CBT commitments and paid another $91.6MM in taxes.
This is much more affordable from a salary perspective than were the Bichette and Robert acquisitions, though the pitcher is less than a year from a monster payday of his own. He’s on track to hit free agency before his age-31 season and could command the second-largest contract in the class after Tarik Skubal. He’s a lock to reject a qualifying offer barring a major injury. The Mets would receive a compensation pick after the fourth round in ’27 if he walks. As a revenue sharing recipient, Milwaukee would’ve gotten a pick after the first round had they kept him (assuming he signed elsewhere for $50MM+).
The Mets will presumably make an effort to keep him long term, but the main focus is on 2026. Peralta slots ahead of touted rookie Nolan McLean at the top of the staff. Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson and Kodai Senga are also penciled into what could be a six-man rotation — though the latter two have come up in trade rumors this offseason. Jonah Tong didn’t dominate the way McLean did after a late-season promotion, but he’s a top prospect who’ll be in the mix. They’re getting another touted arm, Christian Scott, back from elbow surgery.
Myers projects for a swing role but is likely to make some starts over the course of a 162-game season as well. The 27-year-old righty is more than a throw-in addition, as he has pitched well for Milwaukee over the past two years. Myers held a rotation spot for the majority of the ’24 season. He started 25 of 27 games as a rookie and posted an even 3.00 earned run average through 138 innings. He recorded a solid 22.3% strikeout rate while limiting his walks to a 6.3% clip.
An oblique strain sidelined Myers to open last season. The Brewers activated him in late April but optioned him to Triple-A after a handful of shaky appearances. Myers was up and down in a swing role for the remainder of the season. He was mostly squeezed out of the rotation by Milwaukee’s bigger arms, but he pitched well in the second half and finished the year with a 3.55 ERA across 50 2/3 frames. He had similar numbers over 12 starts with Triple-A Nashville.
Myers works in the 93-94 MPH range with his fastball. He uses a cutter and slider as his breaking balls and tweaked his changeup to more of a splitter midway through last season. The pitch got good results in a small sample, as opponents hit .108 while swinging through it almost 40% of the time. That should give him a better offering against left-handed hitters after he struggled with southpaws as a rookie.
The righty has between one and two years of service time. He won’t reach arbitration for another two seasons and is under club control through 2030. He has a minor league option remaining, which gives the Mets flexibility to move him between MLB and Triple-A Syracuse.
The Brewers deserve credit for helping Myers develop into a serviceable back-end starter. He’d once been a reasonably well-regarded prospect — Cleveland regrettably traded Junior Caminero to the Rays for him when the slugging infielder was in rookie ball — but he’d seemingly hit a wall in the upper minors. Milwaukee added him as a minor league free agent over the 2022-23 offseason, and he’s now a secondary but meaningful part of a trade that netted them a pair of top prospects.
Williams and Sproat each placed on the back half of Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list, which was released this morning. BA had Williams as the slightly more highly regarded of the two, but they’re essentially within the same tier. Williams is a right-handed hitter whom the Mets took in the first round out of a Dallas-area high school in 2022. He’s on the shorter side at 5’7″ but has plus athleticism and an up-the-middle defensive profile. Scouts credit him with plus speed and a strong arm with more power than one might expect based on his size.
That athleticism was on display in the upper minors. Williams combined for 17 homers and 34 stolen bases while hitting .261/.363/.465 across 572 plate appearances. He looked no worse for wear after a right wrist surgery had cost him a good chunk of the ’24 season. Williams raked at a .281/.390/.477 clip in Double-A. He struggled after a second half promotion to Triple-A, where he hit .209 with a .285 on-base percentage across 34 games. That’s not a huge concern for a 21-year-old who would have been young for the level even if he’d spent the entire season in Double-A.
Williams is a patient hitter who has worked a lot of walks in the minors. Although big league pitchers will be better positioned to attack the smaller strike zone, he has the makings of a potential top-of-the-lineup spark plug. Williams has played mostly shortstop and has experience at second base and in center field. He’s likely to begin the season at Triple-A Nashville and could challenge Joey Ortiz or Garrett Mitchell/Blake Perkins for playing time midway through the season.
Sproat, 25, is a big league ready rotation option. A second-round pick out of the University of Florida in 2023, he debuted as a September call-up. The 6’3″ righty made four starts, giving up 11 runs across 20 2/3 innings. Sproat otherwise spent the season in Triple-A, where he worked to a 4.24 ERA across 121 frames. He fanned 22.1% of opponents while issuing walks at a slightly elevated 10.4% clip. He has a six-pitch mix and works in the 96-97 MPH range on his sinker and four-seam fastball.
Baseball America’s scouting report credits Sproat with a plus changeup and slider. They write that he has the upside of an average or better starter, albeit with some relief risk based on his average control. He’s not as highly-regarded as McLean or Tong, but it’s not surprising the Mets weren’t willing to part with either of those prospects for a rental. McLean seems categorically untouchable. Michael Marino reported that Milwaukee had tried to involve Tong in discussions on Peralta but were quickly rebuffed. They then turned to a Williams/Sproat framework. It seems they needed to part with Myers to push the deal over the top.
Milwaukee wasn’t going to move Peralta without landing a strong prospect return. His salary was affordable enough that they didn’t need to trade him for salary relief. They certainly weren’t going to re-sign him, though, and it’s their usual operating procedure to hear clubs out on veteran stars who are approaching free agency. It doesn’t make a trade inevitable — they held Willy Adames and let him walk for a compensatory draft pick — but Peralta joins Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes and Williams as recent stars traded within a year or two of reaching the open market.
The Brewers never go into a full rebuild. They’re coming off a 97-win season and advanced to the NLCS. They’ll expect to compete for a fourth consecutive NL Central title. Milwaukee won the division in ’24 after the Burnes trade, which was the most direct parallel for their decision on Peralta. They also landed two prospects in that deal, Ortiz and left-hander DL Hall, who were borderline Top 100 talents who were at the MLB level. Williams and Sproat are probably a little more highly-regarded than the players they got in the Burnes trade, though their deal with Baltimore also included a competitive balance draft pick and didn’t involve the secondary piece in Myers.
Brandon Woodruff will slot atop the rotation after accepting the qualifying offer. Quinn Priester, Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Chad Patrick, Robert Gasser and Sproat could all battle for jobs. The Brewers haven’t closed the door on giving Angel Zerpa or Aaron Ashby rotation looks, though they’re each likelier to end up in relief. President of baseball operations Matt Arnold acknowledged that getting Woodruff back made them more comfortable parting with Peralta (relayed by Curt Hogg of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel).
There’s a lot of upside with this group, but they’ll probably need to dip into the lower tiers of free agency for a back-end arm to provide innings. RosterResource projects their payroll around $126MM, roughly $11MM north of where they began the ’25 season. They should nevertheless be able to sign a starter for a few million dollars as Spring Training approaches. They wouldn’t have issued the QO to Woodruff if ownership weren’t willing to approve at least a slight payroll bump.
Milwaukee fans are familiar with the churn, but it’s surely a blow to lose another homegrown star and fan favorite. Peralta was third in franchise history in strikeouts and eighth in wins. He’s a two-time All-Star who has been a part of seven playoff teams over the past eight years. He’s out of the division but anchoring the rotation for what looks to be one of their top competitors in the National League.
Michael Marino first reported that the Brewers and Mets were discussing Peralta for Williams and Sproat. Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated indicated talks were accelerating, while Jeff Passan of ESPN first had the agreement. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported Myers’ inclusion. Respective images courtesy of Benny Sieu, Michael McLoone, Sam Navarro and Brad Penner — Imagn Images.
Mets, Brewers In Conversations About Freddy Peralta
The Mets and Brewers are in discussions about star right-hander Freddy Peralta, according to reports from Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated and Jon Heyman of The New York Post. There’s no deal in place, but The Post’s Joel Sherman characterizes talks as “serious.” Ragazzo adds that middle infield/center field prospect Jett Williams has come up in conversations.
This morning, Michael Marino reported that Milwaukee was looking to acquire Williams and rookie right-hander Brandon Sproat in a Peralta deal. According to Marino, the Mets rebuffed earlier interest from the Brew Crew in top pitching prospect Jonah Tong. Meanwhile, Sherman adds that swingman Tobias Myers would likely head from Milwaukee to Queens if a deal gets across the finish line.
Peralta has been a top target for teams in need of rotation help. He’s coming off a fifth place Cy Young finish behind 176 2/3 innings of 2.70 ERA ball. The Mets have been in the rotation market all offseason but haven’t been keen on making long-term free agent commitments. President of baseball operations David Stearns reiterated this morning that he still hoped to add a starter (link via Jorge Castillo of ESPN).
Tobias Myers, Ben Casparius Added To NLCS Rosters
The Brewers and Dodgers kick off the National League Championship Series in less than an hour. Each team made one change to the rosters from their respective Division Series.
Milwaukee made a move in the bullpen, swapping out Nick Mears for Tobias Myers. General manager Matt Arnold told reporters the decision was mostly about adding length to the pitching staff (link via MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy). Mears has only once completed two innings in a game this season. All but five of his 63 appearances have been a single inning or less. Myers has been a starter for much of his career and was working a handful of 2-3 inning stints in long relief down the stretch. The Brewers will lean heavily on their relievers, especially in games not started by Freddy Peralta, and have Aaron Ashby kicking off a bullpen game tonight.
Still, it comes as a moderate surprise that the hard-throwing Mears gets left off the roster entirely. Over the course of the season, only Trevor Megill entered the game in higher-leverage spots on average for skipper Pat Murphy. Mears was third on the team with 16 holds. He’d also pitched three times in the five-game Division Series win over the Cubs, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless frames while striking out three of seven batters faced. Mears missed a couple weeks in September with back tightness, but Arnold suggested the decision was less a health question and more about the need for multi-inning arms in a seven-game set.
The Dodgers also made a change, adding a 12th pure pitcher after carrying 11 pitchers (not including Shohei Ohtani) and 15 position players for their series against the Phillies. Right-hander Ben Casparius draws in while the team subs out third catcher Dalton Rushing. That’s most notable as a positive sign for Will Smith. The Dodgers were apprehensive about having Smith catch early in the Philly series. The star backstop came off the bench as a pinch-hitter for the first two games as he plays through a finger fracture.
Smith caught the last two games in full and apparently showed enough that the Dodgers no longer feel they need to keep Rushing active behind Smith and Ben Rortvedt. The 24-year-old Rushing struck out in a pinch-hit at-bat in his only appearance during the Division Series. Casparius adds a mop-up option to the bullpen after pitching to a 4.64 earned run average across 77 2/3 innings during the regular season. He pitched very well for the first two months but posted a 6.31 ERA in 27 appearances after June 1.
The full rosters break down as follows:
Brewers
Catchers: William Contreras, Danny Jansen
Infielders: Jake Bauers, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn
Outfielders: Jackson Chourio, Isaac Collins, Sal Frelick, Brandon Lockridge, Blake Perkins, Christian Yelich
Right-Handers: Grant Anderson, Trevor Megill, Jacob Misiorowski, Tobias Myers, Chad Patrick, Freddy Peralta (Game 2 starter), Quinn Priester, Abner Uribe
Left-Handers: Aaron Ashby (Game 1 opener), Robert Gasser, Jared Koenig, José Quintana
Dodgers
Catchers: Ben Rortvedt, Will Smith
Infielders: Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, Hyeseong Kim, Max Muncy, Miguel Rojas
Outfielders: Alex Call, Justin Dean, Kiké Hernández, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages
Two-Way Player: Shohei Ohtani
Right-Handers: Ben Casparius, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Emmet Sheehan, Blake Treinen, Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Game 2 starter)
Left-Handers: Anthony Banda, Jack Dreyer, Clayton Kershaw, Blake Snell (Game 1 starter), Alex Vesia, Justin Wrobleski
Brewers Place Logan Henderson On 15-Day IL Due To Flexor Strain
Prior to yesterday’s 3-2 win over the Mets, the Brewers placed right-hander Logan Henderson on the 15-day injured list with what was initially termed as elbow inflammation. Manager Pat Murphy revealed to reporters (including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy) postgame that an MRI indicated Henderson is dealing with a right flexor strain. A rehab timeline isn’t yet known, but it is at least a good sign that the rookie pitcher has avoided structural damage.
Henderson had been scheduled to start today’s game, but Tobias Myers will now take the ball for his first start since May 17. Milwaukee called Myers up from Triple-A Nashville in the corresponding move for Henderson’s IL placement. Reliever Shelby Miller (acquired from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline) was also activated from the 15-day IL, with right-hander Easton McGee optioned to Triple-A on Thursday to open up roster space in advance of Miller’s reinstatement.
It was just a week ago that Henderson was himself recalled from Triple-A as an injury replacement, taking over Jacob Misiorowski‘s rotation spot after Misiorowski was sidelined by a left tibia contusion. Since that injury wasn’t considered to be too serious, it is possible Misiorowski could be activated from the 15-day IL when first eligible on August 15. Since the Brew Crew have an off-day on Thursday, Myers might just be needed for one turn in the rotation if all goes well with Misiorowski’s recovery.
Milwaukee’s rotation was crushed by injuries in the first few weeks of the season, which opened the door for Henderson to make his Major League debut on April 20. He was optioned back to Nashville after that outing, called back for three more starts in May, then sent down again until his return to the big leagues last week.
It is a testament to the Brewers’ pitching depth that Henderson has been a spare part, even though he has a 1.78 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate, and an 8.1% walk rate over his first 25 1/3 innings in the Show. His 3.12 SIERA is only slightly less impressive, and Henderson has benefited from the big outlier of a 96.2% strand rate, and a favorable .255 BABIP. This batted-ball luck is noteworthy since Henderson has only a 22.8% grounder rate, but opposing batters are only making hard contact 33.2% of the time against the righty’s offerings.
Between these numbers in the majors and a 3.59 ERA over 77 2/3 Triple-A frames, there has been a lot to like about Henderson’s 2025 season. A fourth-round pick for the Brewers in the 2021 draft, Henderson has lined himself up nicely to be a big part of the club’s rotation plans going forward, probably as soon as 2026. Brandon Woodruff and Jose Quintana are both expected to become free agents this winter once their mutual options are declined, leaving a couple of holes to be filled on the pitching staff.
This assumes, of course, that Henderson is able to recover properly from this flexor strain. Even a relatively minor strain will certainly result in more than 15 days on the IL, just out of natural precaution about arm-related injuries. It is probably safe to rule Henderson out for the remainder of August, and his availability for the rest of the regular season (and the playoffs) could potentially be in jeopardy. As noted by McCalvy, Henderson’s injury history includes a surgery to fix a fractured elbow, which limited him to 13 2/3 innings during the 2022 minor league season.
Brewers Select Easton McGee, Option Tobias Myers
The Brewers announced three roster moves today, including the selection of Easton McGee‘s contract from Triple-A Nashville. To create space for McGee on both the 26-man and 40-man rosters, Milwaukee optioned right-hander Tobias Myers to Triple-A, and moved lefty Connor Thomas from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
McGee has appeared in two Major League games during his pro career, pitching once apiece in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. That resume would’ve likely been a lot longer if it hadn’t been for a Tommy John surgery in May 2023 that ended up costing him the remainder of that season and most of 2024. The Brewers signed McGee to a two-year minor league deal following the 2023 campaign that allowed him time to recover from his surgery, and his mound work last year consisted of 33 1/3 innings in Milwaukee’s farm system.
Now more fully back to good health, McGee has a 3.44 ERA across 18 1/3 innings with Triple-A Nashville in 2025. His 25.3% strikeout rate is solid but his 11.4% walk rate is on the high side, and significantly higher than McGee’s much better control numbers over the rest of his minor league career.
McGee has worked only as a reliever this season but has a few multi-inning outings under his belt, so he can add a fresh arm and some length to Milwaukee’s pen. The Brewers used five different pitchers in Saturday’s 7-0 loss to the Twins, with starting pitcher Myers allowing four runs on 11 hits over just 3 2/3 innings of work.
After an impressive 2024 rookie season, Myers was optioned to Triple-A last week but then quickly recalled after Jose Quintana went on the Brewers’ IL. The turn-around maybe didn’t help matters given Saturday’s results, and Myers now has a 4.95 ERA in 20 innings in 2025. Today’s transaction probably paves the way for Myers to receive a bit of an extended stretch at Triple-A so he can get himself back on track in preparation for another recall later in the season.
Thomas was selected away from the Cardinals in last December’s Rule 5 draft, but the southpaw pitched just 5 2/3 innings over two appearances before elbow arthritis sent him to the IL in early April. The shift to the 60-day IL means that Thomas will now be out of action until at least the first week of June. Thomas would have to spend at least 90 days on the Brewers’ active roster for Milwaukee to gain his full rights, or else otherwise his Rule 5 status would carry over into the 2026 season.
Brewers Place Jose Quintana On IL With Shoulder Impingement
The Brewers announced today that left-hander Jose Quintana has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 11th, due to a left shoulder impingement. Right-hander Tobias Myers has been recalled in a corresponding move.
Quintana, 36, was originally scheduled to start today’s game. However, earlier this week, his start was pushed back to the weekend. He spoke to reporters yesterday about his status, with video relayed by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, saying that he has been dealing with inflammation in his shoulder and biceps. The plan was to throw a bullpen this morning and then start on Saturday.
It appears that will no longer be the case. It’s unclear what happened with today’s bullpen, but the Brewers have decided to put him on the shelf. It’s unclear how long they expect him to be out, but he’ll miss at least a couple of turns through the rotation.
The Milwaukee starting staff has been in flux all year along. The club opened the year knowing that guys like Robert Gasser and Brandon Woodruff would be starting the season on the IL, but then spring injuries to DL Hall and Aaron Ashby further cut into the depth. As a reaction to those injuries, the club reached out to Quintana, who was still unsigned in early March. Early in the season, they also lost Aaron Civale and Nestor Cortes to the IL, prompting the club to acquire Quinn Priester from the Red Sox.
Though they have been spinning plates, the Brewers felt the group was starting to stabilize. Myers has seen his results back up a bit this year, so he was optioned to the minors three days ago. However, the Brewers have quickly had to pivot and recall him again. Woodruff was about to return after over a year recovering from shoulder surgery but a recent ankle injury has put another speed bump in his path. That and this Quintana injury have opened the door for Myers to return. Players normally have to wait 15 days before being recalled after being optioned but an exception is allowed if a player is going on the IL.
Quintana is now the seventh Milwaukee starter on the shelf, alongside Ashby, Civale, Cortes, Gasser, Hall and Woodruff. Assuming Myers is jumping back into the rotation, he slots alongside Freddy Peralta, Priester, Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick.
That is likely a temporary alignment, with some of the pitchers on the IL nearing returns. As mentioned, Woodruff was seemingly on the cusp before this ankle tendinitis popped up. It’s unclear how long that will push him back. Civale, Ashby and Hall are all on rehab assignments and could be back in the mix shortly. If Quintana’s issue is minor, he could be back later this month as well.
Despite all that tumult in the rotation, the club’s starters have a collective 3.77 ERA, good enough for 12th in the majors. However, the team’s offense has been underwhelming this year, a big reason why they are currently 20-23. Regardless, the club’s decision makers are surely hoping to get beyond this wave of injuries in order to have a more settled pitching staff.
Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images
Brewers Option Tobias Myers
The Brewers announced this morning that they’ve optioned right-hander Tobias Myers to Triple-A. Righty Elvis Peguero was recalled to the major league roster in his place.
It’s a surprising move for Milwaukee given that Myers was a key cog in the club’s rotation not only this year but also in 2024. The righty broke out last season as a rookie with the Brewers, posting a phenomenal 3.00 ERA (138 ERA+) in 138 innings of work spread between 25 starts and two relief outings. He’s followed that up with a 3.86 ERA across 16 1/3 innings across four starts and one relief appearance. Those solid top-level run prevention numbers are belied somewhat by less impressive peripherals, however. Last year, Myers posted a 3.91 FIP thanks in part to a relatively pedestrian 22.3% strikeout rate and an elevated home run rate, though his tidy 6.3% walk rate made up for it somewhat.
Things have taken a turn for the worse on the peripheral side of things this year, however. Myers has watched his strikeout rate dip to just 14.7% while his walk rate has crept up to 13.3%. That’s a walk rate that can prove untenable for even elite strikeout artists in a rotation role, and when paired with Myers’s paltry strikeout numbers from this year it’s easy to see why the Brewers may be concerned about his ability to continue providing quality production. Just 5.0% of Myers’s fly balls have left the yard for home runs this year, down from 11.3% last season. If that number were to normalize, his solid enough ERA would surely spike to a level closer to his 4.59 FIP or perhaps even his ugly 5.61 SIERA.
To this point in the season, the Brewers have had little choice besides simply sticking with Myers in a rotation role and hoping he gets right thanks to the bevy of rotation injuries they’ve been forced to navigate. Six starting rotation options are currently on the 15- or 60-day injured list in Milwaukee, a situation that forced them to sign Jose Quintana and trade for Quinn Priester just to keep a full rotation on the roster. That’s set to change in the relatively near future, however. Brandon Woodruff is poised to make what’s expected to be his final rehab start today, which would put him on track to return to the Brewers rotation as soon as next weekend. Aaron Civale and Aaron Ashby are expected to be ready to rejoin the club later this month as well.
Those incoming reinforcements on their own likely wouldn’t be enough to convince Milwaukee to pull the trigger on optioning Myers, but the club also has a day off this coming Thursday. That means the club can simply skip Myers’s next turn in the rotation without needing to lock Woodruff into Friday’s start against Minnesota, as today’s projected starter Chad Patrick will also be available on full rest that day. Optioning Myers now affords the Brewers an additional bullpen arm for their next few games while offering Myers the opportunity to sort out whatever issue may be causing his lack of strikeouts and uptick in walks this season in a lower-pressure environment.
Sensible as it may be, it’s an aggressive move that shows how uncharacteristically uncomfortable Milwaukee is this year. The Brewers are just 19-21 so far this year and have fallen to fourth place in the NL Central, four games back of the Cubs for the division lead. That’s certainly not an insurmountable gap for the club with more than four months to go in the regular season, but for a team coming off a run of six playoff appearances (and four NL Central titles) in seven years, it’s been quite some time since they were firmly on the outside of the playoff picture in the NL.
Replacing Myers on the roster for the time being is Peguero. The 28-year-old has struggled to a 5.68 ERA in five appearances this year but has generally been a quality relief options for Milwaukee since joining the organization ahead of the 2023 season, with a 3.20 ERA in 112 2/3 innings of work over the past two seasons. He’ll likely join struggling righty Joel Payamps in a lower leverage role for the time being given the success right-handed arms like Abner Uribe, Nick Mears, and Grant Anderson have found to this point in the 2025 campaign.