The Opener

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Lopez likely headed to IL:

Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez exited his start yesterday with what was termed right shoulder tightness at the time of his departure, but after the game he revealed to reporters (including Phil Miller of the Star Tribune) that he’s actually suffering from a right lat strain. Lopez told reporters that he’s set to undergo imaging to determine the severity of the strain, but Miller added that the right-hander sounded resigned to the fact that he would almost certainly be placed on the injured list. Losing Lopez, who has a 2.82 ERA and 2.97 FIP so far this year, is a tough blow, but the Twins are better equipped to lose a front-line starter than most organizations, with younger arms like David Festa and Simeon Woods Richardson ready to go at Triple-A. Twins starters are fifth in the majors with a collective 3.43 ERA this season.

2. Tigers 40-man move incoming:

The Tigers are expected to activate right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long from the 60-day IL today. Detroit’s 40-man roster is already at capacity, meaning someone will need to be pulled off the roster in order to make room for Gipson-Long. The Tigers have no obvious 60-day IL candidates, so the most likely outcome is that they’ll have to designate a player for assignment today. Of course, it’s also at least possible that a player currently on the 10- or 15-day IL has a longer path to recovery than is currently publicly known. Another possibility would be working out a trade that creates 40-man roster space, though that seems especially unlikely at this stage of the calendar.

3. Woodruff exits rehab start:

Right-hander Brandon Woodruff’s path back to a big league mound after missing the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery has been a long one. An ankle injury at the tail end of his time rehabbing that shoulder injury caused the Brewers to reset his rehab clock, and while he was expected to finally be on the verge of making it back to the big leagues after yesterday’s rehab outing, another potential setback occurred once again when he was struck by a line drive on his right elbow.

Woodruff left the game after the incident, and while MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy notes that initial x-rays were negative, Woodruff is set to receive more extensive testing from the team’s medical staff today. Fortunately for the Brewers, they’re suddenly deep in starting pitching at the moment, with a full rotation of five starters in the majors plus multiple depth options like Logan Henderson and Tobias Myers at Triple-A.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Vientos undergoes imaging:

The Mets won a tight game over the Dodgers last night, but the celebration was belied by an air of unease after infielder Mark Vientos suffered a hamstring injury in the top of the tenth inning while running to first base. Vientos told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) he wasn’t sure how severe the injury was, but he immediately underwent testing after being removed from the game. Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged to reporters that the injury “didn’t look good,” but the club would just have to wait and see the test results, which are expected to come back later today.

The 25-year-old Vientos was a breakout star for the Mets last year but has slumped through 53 games this season, hitting .230/.298/.380 (93 wRC+) with shaky defense. He’d lost playing time at third base to Brett Baty but has seen plenty of time at DH. If he ends up missing time, some combination of Starling Marte, Jared Young and infielder Ronny Mauricio will see more reps. Mauricio, who missed all of 2024 due to an ACL tear, is reportedly being called back to the big leagues today which further lends credence to the idea that Vientos could be IL-bound. After a slow start to the season in the minors as he shook off some rust, he’s caught fire in Triple-A, hitting over .500 in nine games to boost his season-long minor league line to .323/.384/.508 in 19 games.

2. Caglianone to debut:

It’s an exciting day for fans of the Royals, as 2024’s No. 6 overall pick is poised to join the roster. Jac Caglianone has emerged as one of the top power-hitting prospects in baseball as he’s utterly torched minor league pitching this season. After a slow start to his pro career at High-A and in the Arizona Fall League last season, he’s kicked things into high gear in 2025 with a .322/.389/.593 slash line across 50 games at the Double- and Triple-A levels. He’s already crushed 15 homers in just 229 plate appearances, including six in dozen games at Triple-A.

Primarily a first baseman during his years in college, Caglianone has begun getting work in at the outfield corners in the run-up to his debut and appears likely to get the opportunity to cement himself as a cornerstone of the Royals’ lineup in the outfield. Caglianone’s first game in the majors is slated to begin at 6:45pm local time this evening in St. Louis, where the Royals will be taking on Cardinals right-hander Andre Pallante (4.23 ERA).

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

We’re now officially into the month of June, leaving less than two months until the July 31 trade deadline. The rumor mill has already begun to kick up in recent days, ranging from club plans for the deadline to specific connections between players and teams with even a few actual trades sprinkled in. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

On the heels of an early morning trade, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Burnes to undergo MRI:

The Diamondbacks suffered a major injury scare yesterday when right-hander Corbin Burnes exited his start against the Nationals due to discomfort in his elbow. Manager Torey Lovullo indicated following the game that Burnes was set to undergo an MRI, but the team has already decided the right-hander will not participate in its upcoming road trip. It’s at least possible that means nothing more than a single skipped start for Burnes, but there’s also a clear chance of an injured list stint that will have its length determined by today’s MRI. Arizona’s marquee free agent has been sharp in his first year in the desert, with a 2.66 ERA and 3.89 FIP across 11 outings. He’s been particularly strong of late, working to a 1.67 ERA with a 26.6% strikeout rate across his past seven games. Eduardo Rodriguez is expected back from the IL in the near future and could take Burnes’s spot in the rotation if he’s facing a lengthy absence.

2. Yankees banged up:

The Yankees experienced a couple of injury scares of their own yesterday. As relayed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, outfielder Jasson Dominguez departed yesterday’s win over the Dodgers due to a left thumb contusion, while right-hander Luke Weaver did not appear in the game at all due to hamstring discomfort. The team plans to evaluate both players on today’s off-day, though Hoch relays that Dominguez himself suggested that his injury isn’t cause for “much concern.”

Weaver, on the other hand, was queued up to finish off last night’s game even after it was no longer a save situation but was subbed out for lefty Tim Hill after he (in the words of manager Aaron Boone) “felt something in the middle of his hammy” while warming up. It’s unclear if the Yankees plan to send Weaver for imaging, but it would make sense for the club to be careful with their closer given his phenomenal 1.05 ERA across 24 outings.

3. Blackburn to be activated for 2025 debut:

In more positive injury news, the Mets will get reinforcements from the shelf today when right-hander Paul Blackburn is activated to start tonight’s game against the Dodgers. Blackburn, 31, began last year in Oakland but was traded from the A’s to the Mets midseason. The right-hander hasn’t pitched yet this year due to knee troubles, but he should provide a breather to a Mets rotation that has pitched incredibly well this year despite being without not only Blackburn but also Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea. Blackburn’s first start will come opposite Dodgers right-hander Dustin May, who sports a 4.20 ERA and 3.92 FIP through ten starts this year.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Trout to be activated:

After nearly a month of the shelf due to a bone bruise in his left knee, Mike Trout is returning to the Angels today. Theo DeRosa of MLB.com was among those to note that the Angels plan to activate him from the 10-day injured list, bringing him back into a lineup that could certainly use his bat after the club dropped to fourth place in the AL West recently with a 25-30 record. It will be worth monitoring in the coming days how often Trout is used in right field as compared to DH, but regardless of his usage in the field, Angels fans will be happy to have the three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star back for his value at the plate. Trout’s .179/.264/.462 slash (95 wRC+) in 29 games this year would be by far the worst season of his career, but his nine home runs in just 121 plate appearances were very impressive. He’s also been weighed down by a paltry .159 average on balls in play that’s sure to improve over time.

2. Ramirez’s hit streak continues:

That Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez is having an excellent season is so unsurprising it’s barely even worth noting. The superstar has just two seasons since 2017 where he’s posted a wRC+ below 140, and this year is no exception; he’s hitting .318/.371/.527 with a 152 wRC+. Predictable as Ramirez’s general greatness may be, even he doesn’t rattle off a 21-game hitting streak on the regular. After going hitless on May 4, Ramirez collected hits in both halves of a May 6 doubleheader and has maintained the streak ever since, slashing a phenomenal .393/.446/.655 with a strikeout rate of just 10.9% during that time. If Ramirez can get a hit in today’s game against Jose Soriano and the Angels, he’ll tie the 22-game hit streak Bobby Witt Jr. put together earlier this season for the longest streak of 2025.

3. How low can the Rockies go?

We’re just days away from the calendar flipping to June, and it remains to be seen if the Rockies will even get their tenth win of the season before then. In a season that seems likely to continue reaching new historic lows, the Rox recently lost their 21st series in a row when they were swept by the Cubs earlier this week. That’s the longest stretch of consecutive series losses in MLB history (hat tip: OptaSTATS), and it actually stretches into last season, as the Rockies have only completed 18 series so far this year. The Rockies will go for their tenth win and attempt to avoid a 22nd consecutive series loss this weekend, but they’ll do so with a tough matchup against the Mets in Queens.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Doubleheader in Philadelphia:

Yesterday’s game between the Phillies and Braves was postponed, making way for a split doubleheader to occur today. Fans with tickets to yesterday’s game will be able to attend this afternoon’s game, which begins at 1:05pm local time, while the start time of 6:45pm for this evening’s game remains unchanged. It will be a great day for fans of intriguing pitching matchups, as this afternoon’s game will feature standout Atlanta rookie AJ Smith-Shawver (3.67 ERA) pitching opposite Phillies southpaw Cristopher Sanchez (3.17 ERA). That game will only serve as the appetizer, however, with the main course being a clash between the first- and second-place finishers in NL Cy Young award voting last year: Braves lefty Chris Sale (3.36 ERA) and Phillies righty Zack Wheeler (2.42 ERA).

2. What’s next for the Red Sox?

The Red Sox have today off, but after yesterday’s frustrating 6-5 loss to the Brewers they find themselves on a five-game skid in the standings. Boston is 9-15 over its last 24 games and finds itself sliding down the standings, 4.5 games back of an AL Wild Card spot and 9.5 games behind the division-leading Yankees. It’s a far cry from the lofty expectations that came with an offseason where the Sox brought Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman into the fold. It’s common for clubs in these situations to take off-days as opportunities to evaluate whether there are changes that need to be made. Top prospect Roman Anthony is continuing to bang on the door at Triple-A, while certain veterans like shortstop Trevor Story and right-hander Liam Hendriks are struggling in their current roles. First base remains an area without a long-term plan since the season-ending injury to Triston Casas (though Abraham Toro has at least popped a trio of homers while filling in). Could changes be on the horizon in some capacity?

3. Series Preview: Rays @ Astros

While the Red Sox figure to spend today licking their wounds after a tough stretch, two of the biggest beneficiaries of Boston’s recent slide will kick off a four-game set that could have notable implications on the AL playoff picture. The Astros are in a three-way tie with the Guardians and Twins for the AL’s three Wild Card spots at the moment, with each club sporting an identical 30-25 record. The Rays, meanwhile, have propelled themselves back into contention with a solid stretch of play recently that’s pushed them to a 28-27 record and just two games back of that trio.

That creates high stakes as the Rays head to Daikin Park in Houston for this weekend’s series, which will kick off at 7:10pm local time with Tampa Bay righty Shane Baz (4.94 ERA) on the mound opposite Houston rookie Ryan Gusto, who sports a 4.53 ERA through 12 appearances (six starts). A much stronger pitching matchup is on the docket tomorrow, when Ryan Pepiot (3.55 ERA) takes the mound for the Rays opposite Framber Valdez (3.39 ERA). Right-hander Zack Littell (3.97 ERA) will take on rookie Colton Gordon (5.52 ERA) in the lefty’s fourth career big league start, and the series will wrap up Sunday with the Rays’ Taj Bradley (4.38 ERA) on the mound opposite Astros ace Hunter Brown (2.00 ERA).

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on throughout the day:

1. Harper to be re-evaluated following HBP:

The Phillies endured a scary moment last night when superstar Bryce Harper exited in the first inning after a wayward pitch from Atlanta ace Spencer Strider struck his elbow. Notably, the afflicted elbow was the one that required Tommy John surgery prior to the 2023 season. The Phillies later labeled the issue a right elbow contusion, and manager Rob Thomson confirmed to reporters following the game that x-rays on Harper’s elbow came back negative (link via MLB.com’s Paul Casella). Thomson added that Harper “was certainly in a lot of pain,” however, and would need to be re-evaluated today. No player can reasonably be expected to replace a perennial MVP candidate like Harper, but if he requires some time away to recover, Alec Bohm could slide over to first base as Edmundo Sosa takes reps at the hot corner.

2. Seager to return:

The Rangers have seemed hapless on offense for much of this year, in part because superstar Corey Seager has only been able to anchor the lineup for 26 of the club’s 56 games due to multiple trips to the injured list. Texas is on the cusp of getting his bat back in the lineup, however. Manager Bruce Bochy told the Rangers beat last night that he “fully anticipates” Seager to return from the injured list today (link via Kennedi Landry of MLB.com).

That Seager will be activated off the IL is especially exciting for the Rangers given that they’ve also recently lost center fielder Evan Carter and DH Joc Pederson to the injured list. Seager’s return to the lineup at shortstop should free up utilityman Josh Smith to play elsewhere, though it’s at least plausible that the Rangers could give Seager some starts at DH in the short-term to help ease him back into full baseball activities.

3. Bart under evaluation following head injury:

Pirates catcher Joey Bart was struck in the head with a backswing behind the plate last night, and Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that he was still undergoing evaluation following last night’s game. The power that made Bart an impactful player for the Pirates last year has not yet shown up in 2025, but he’s still slashing .240/.347/.308 with a solid enough wRC+ of 90 across 44 games. Henry Davis is on the roster as the backup catcher, should Bart require a day or two, but a longer absence for Bart would require a non-roster catcher like Brett Sullivan to be selected to the roster as a backup to Davis. Fellow catcher Endy Rodriguez is also on the injured list after requiring stitches in his throwing hand last month.

Here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for throughout the day:

1. O’Hoppe being monitored:

The Angels’ loss to the Yankees yesterday ended on a worrying note when catcher Logan O’Hoppe was struck on the helmet with a backswing and departed the game shortly thereafter. As noted by Sam Blum of The Athletic, manager Ron Washington told reporters that O’Hoppe’s removal from the game was precautionary, but that he’s being evaluated further nonetheless. It’s unclear if O’Hoppe is in MLB’s concussion protocol, but if the club has any concerns they’ll surely place him on the 7-day concussion-related injured list.

O’Hoppe, 25, has posted a stout .267/.299/.533 batting line (131 wRC+) this year and is already just six homers shy of his career-high 20. The Angels have just recently rattled off a long enough winning streak to put them back on the periphery of the AL Wild Card conversation, making any potential absence for their slugging backstop all the more concerning.

2. Rays going streaking:

Speaking of winning streaks, it wasn’t long ago that the Rays found themselves near the bottom of the AL standings after going 7-10 throughout the first few weeks of May. They took the final two games of their series against the Astros before sweeping the Blue Jays over the weekend, however, and yesterday they won the first game of their series against the Twins. That six-game win streak was enough to get the club back over .500 for the first time since April 4.

The Rays are still a game back of the final AL Wild Card spot, but the encouraging stretch of play has to be a relief for fans in Tampa after last year’s disappointing 80-82 finish. With righty Taj Bradley (4.61 ERA) set to take the mound opposite Minnesota righty Joe Ryan (2.68 ERA) this afternoon, will the Rays be able to keep the good times rolling?

3. MLBTR chat today:

All of the league’s teams have now completed around one-third of their schedule, but there’s still plenty of baseball left to go and more than two months remaining until the trade deadline on July 31. Whether you’re looking ahead to the deadline or still trying to sort between the contenders and pretenders, MLBTR’s Steve Adams has you covered in a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

Happy Memorial Day to MLBTR readers! Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as the long weekend continues:

1. Rutschman being monitored:

Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman departed yesterday’s game after he took a foul ball off his mask during the third inning. According to Jake Rill of MLB.com, the catcher’s removal from the game was precautionary. Interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters (including Rill) that Rutschman will continue to be monitored for 24 hours following the incident, leaving his status ahead of today’s game against the Cardinals uncertain. It’s been a disappointing year at the plate so far for Rutschman, who is hitting .211/.310/.349 with a 93 wRC+, but losing him for any amount of time would be worrisome for the already struggling Orioles with Gary Sanchez already on the shelf. Maverick Handley took over for Rutschman behind the plate in yesterday’s game, and if a trip to the injured list is necessary the Orioles could turn to Chadwick Tromp or David Banuelos.

2. Series Preview: Blue Jays @ Rangers

Neither the Blue Jays nor the Rangers are having the season they were hoping for so far. Both clubs are three games back in the AL Wild Card race. A big series for either side could put them back into the thick of the playoff conversation, but if either club struggles in this series they could quickly find themselves falling even further back in the standings. The series kicks off at 4:05pm ET this afternoon with ace righty Jacob deGrom (2.33 ERA) on the mound for the Rangers while Toronto counters with a veteran of their own in Kevin Gausman (4.05 ERA). Bowden Francis (5.54 ERA) will look to turn his season around for the Jays tomorrow against Nathan Eovaldi (1.60 ERA), who has put himself into the early AL Cy Young discussion. The series will wrap Wednesday with an as-of-yet unannounced starter on the mound for the Jays against Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle, who has a 1.80 ERA in 11 starts amid his own brilliant campaign.

3. Arenado, Santana nearing milestone:

Just 196 players in MLB history have hit 400 doubles during their career. That number could jump to 198 any day now, however, because both Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana and Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado are within spitting distance of the milestone. Santana hit the 398th double of his career against the Tigers over the weekend, while Arenado sits just one behind him with 397 career two-baggers. The milestone is within reach for both players, but Santana in particular is white hot of late with 1.262 OPS in his past six games and a .262/.410/.492 slash line in the month of May overall. Arenado’s Cardinals are scheduled to face the Orioles and southpaw Cade Povich (4.86 ERA) today, while Santana’s Guardians face a tough matchup against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1.86 ERA) in their own game this afternoon.

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world as we head into another weekend:

1. Acuña to return:

The wait is finally over for fans in Atlanta: the Braves will be back to (mostly) full strength today when they activate outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the injured list. The 27-year-old superstar and 2023 NL MVP hasn’t taken the field in nearly a fully calendar year after tearing his ACL last May, and the Braves have struggled somewhat in his absence. The club made the playoffs by virtue of a tiebreaker last year but went on to get swept out of the NL Wild Card series, and after an 0-7 start to the 2025 season they’ve only recently clawed their way back to a .500 record. A career .289/.379/.525 hitter, Acuña should certainly help with the offensive woes in Atlanta amid lackluster seasons from Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II as well as a PED suspension for offseason signee Jurickson Profar.

2. Roster overhaul in West Sacramento?

The A’s are in a tough spot. The club worked hard to try and revamp their roster over the offseason for their first year away from Oakland, and while the early part of the season saw them flirt with contention, they’ve now crashed back down to Earth with nine consecutive losses. It seems as though that losing streak might be a cause for a shakeup to the roster; outfielder Denzel Clarke is reportedly on his way, and while that move by itself wouldn’t constitute a major change to the roster ESPN’s Jeff Passan teased the possibility of more moves to come as the A’s try to get things back on track. Will the roster look substantially different by the time they face the Astros next week — or even the Phillies this evening?

3. NLCS rematch in Queens:

The reigning World Series champions are coming to Queens, and for the Dodgers and Mets that means a rematch of last year’s NLCS. The Dodgers, of course, ultimately prevailed in six games last time around, but both teams made substantial upgrades in the offseason. The series starts tonight at 7:10pm local time in New York with longtime Dodger Clayton Kershaw on the mound for his second appearance of the season. The Mets will counter with Griffin Canning, who has a 2.47 ERA through nine starts. Saturday will see Tony Gonsolin (4.05 ERA) make his fifth start of the year against southpaw David Peterson (2.86 ERA), while Sunday’s game will feature Dodgers youngster Landon Knack (6.14 ERA) against Mets ace Kodai Senga (1.43 ERA).

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Kirby to make season debut:

The Mariners have been without star right-hander George Kirby all season due to shoulder inflammation. While a strong start from the club’s offense has been enough to propel them to the AL West lead with a 28-20 record, the return for an All-Star who sports a career 3.43 ERA and 3.22 FIP only further brightens the outlook. Kirby has been a workhorse by the standards of today’s game, throwing more than 190 innings in each of the last two seasons. That streak will end this year after the first significant absence of his young career, but the 27-year-old still figures to offer the Mariners stability at the top of their rotation. His first task will be facing the Astros and right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. tonight. McCullers recently came off the IL himself but has struggled to a 7.88 ERA through three starts since his return.

2. Perez nearing milestone:

Veteran Royals catcher Salvador Perez has had a rough start to the 2025 season despite some positive signs in the underlying metrics. For however lackluster his season-long numbers may appear so far, the 35-year-old was brilliant during yesterday’s game in San Francisco when he collected three hits, including a double and a homer. That double is of particular note because it was the 299th of his career. His next two-bagger will make him just the sixth player in Royals history to reach 300 with the club, joining George Brett, Hal McRae, Frank White, Amos Otis, and his own former teammate Alex Gordon. Perez is also within spitting distance of 300 career home runs, a club he’d be the second Royal in history to join behind Brett. At 276 dingers for his career, it’ll be a bit longer before he reaches that milestone, however.

3. Heim dealing with hand injury:

The Rangers had an injury scare last night when catcher Jonah Heim exited yesterday’s game due to a compressed nerve in his right hand. As noted by Bill Ladson of MLB.com, Heim struggled with throwing the ball back to righty Jacob deGrom as the veteran warmed up on the mound, prompting the club to swap him out with Tucker Barnhart for the day. Ladson adds that according to Bochy, x-rays on Heim’s hand came back negative. That led to optimism from the veteran manager that Heim could be back in the lineup soon, which would be a major relief for the Rangers given the 29-year-old’s strong .268/.314/.433 slash (111 wRC+) from the catcher position this year. The Rangers can afford to play it somewhat safe with Heim in the coming days, given that both Barnhart and Kyle Higashioka are currently on the roster as catching options.