The offseason and spring training are behind us, but there’s plenty of MLB news left to cover. Here are the noteworthy transactions, injuries and more from the 2026 season. July 20 Kansas City Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. left Monday night’s 4-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants with back tightness, which also kept him out a day earlier. Witt struck out in the first inning and walked in the third. Nick Loftin replaced him in the top of the fifth. Witt didn’t play in Sunday’s 19-2 loss to the San Diego Padres. He is batting .279 with 13 homers, 39 RBIs and an American League-leading 30 stolen bases. New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has been activated from the injured list after missing nearly three months with a back issue. The Mets announced the move before starting their three-game series at Milwaukee on Monday. They optioned infielder Eric Wagaman to Triple-A Syracuse and outrighted infielder Zack Short to Syracuse. Robert, 28, last played for the Mets on April 26 before going on the injured list with a lumbar spine disk herniation. He was in the starting lineup Monday playing center field and batting seventh against All-Star flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski. “He’s going to be a part of the outfield mix,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said before the game. “I think realistically, two out of three days is probably what we’re looking at, at the outset here. We’ll get a couple of weeks down the road and decide what changes need to be made to that.” Robert’s return gives the Mets more options in the outfield. A.J. Ewing, who was getting much of the playing time in center field while Robert was hurt, started at right on Monday while five-time All-Star Juan Soto was in left. Carson Benge, who has made starts at all three outfield spots this season, wasn’t in the starting lineup. Green said Robert would primarily play center field rather than moving all over the outfield. “I think that’s where we’re at right now, in the short term,” Green said. “The other guys (in the outfield) have moved around a lot in their minor league career, so they’re comfortable playing other positions. He hasn’t. So on the fly in the middle of the season, you do factor in the comfort level of players, where they’ve played consistently.” The Mets acquired Robert in a January trade that sent infielder Luisangel Acuña and minor league pitcher Truman Pauley to the Chicago White Sox. The 2023 All-Star was batting .224 with a .327 on-base percentage, two homers, eight RBIs and two steals in 24 games this season before going on the injured list. Chicago White Sox catcher Kyle Teel hurt his left ankle Monday night and is likely heading to the injured list, manager Will Venable said. Teel was injured while trying to apply a tag in the second inning of AL Central-leading Chicago’s 10-3 victory over the Texas Rangers. He was helped off the field while putting no weight on the ankle. Drew Romo replaced him. Venable said Teel would be evaluated Tuesday. “We’ve got to go get it get scanned and get more information,” Venable said. Teel has played just 19 games this season because of hamstring and knee injuries. He’s batting .190 with two homers and 14 RBIs. Last season, he batted .273 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 78 games. After throwing 10 pitches off a mound on Friday, Yankees’ lefty Carlos Rodón received multiple injections, including a PRP shot, per the New York Post. New York is hoping to get Rodón a full bullpen session this week as he works his way back from left elbow inflammation that caused him to end his June on the IL. Rodón was mostly pitching well before the inflammation, with a 3.30 ERA in 46 ⅓ innings, however his walk rate spiked to a career-worst 5.1 per nine, and his season didn’t even begin until May as he was still recovering from undergoing elbow surgery to remove a bone spur last October. The 33-year-old southpaw isn’t expected back until the beginning of August at the earliest, and this slate of injections was part of the normal recovery process for his injury. Whether he actually returns during this timeline, though, depends on how his elbow responds to the throwing program and possible rehab stint in the minors. July 19 Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts announced on Sunday that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is going to be a one-way player for a time to be determined. Per MLB, Ohtani will not make his next scheduled start on Wednesday, and his return to the mound is unknown at this point. The Dodgers do expect Ohtani to pitch again in 2026, but the when is unclear: as Roberts explained, Los Angeles wants Ohtani’s left knee to fully heal before he pitches again. “It’s going to be some time, and I’d say that it’s not going to be a day-to-day thing.” There is no need to place Ohtani on the IL, however. Roberts reiterated that Ohtani feels no pain in the knee when hitting. The slugger was in the starting lineup for Sunday’s opener, batting leadoff as the designated hitter, and Roberts said he’d wait to see about playing Ohtani in the nightcap, too. “We just want to continue to give it the best chance to kind of get in a good spot,” Roberts said. “As he said, as we feel, it’s the pitching and the torque on landing on that leg. That kind of gets it upset. So I think that hitting doesn’t do that. So I think that for us, we’re trying to give it as much time as possible.” The Dodgers can afford to wait on Ohtani’s health on the mound. Los Angeles leads the majors with 62 wins, and the Dodgers have a 12-game lead on the Diamondbacks in the NL West. Ohtani has made 14 starts and pitched 85 ⅔ innings in 2026, while posting a 1.79 ERA. He was recently named to his sixth-consecutive and sixth career All-Star team, though his knee kept him from participating in 2026. Even if all Ohtani does is hit for some time, though, that will work for Los Angeles: Ohtani is batting .289/.400/.543 with 22 home runs and 184 total bases in 89 games. Japanese slugger Rintaro Sasaki will sign with the Miami Marlins and forgo a professional career in his home country. The Marlins selected Sasaki out of Stanford in the eighth round of Major League Baseball’s amateur draft last week, but the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks also selected him in the first round of the Nippon Professional Baseball draft. The difficult decision had Sasaki fighting back tears during a news conference in his hometown on Sunday. “More than anyone else, I believe I understand my own limitations and how much I still need to improve,” Sasaki said. “Even if this path ultimately turns out to be the wrong choice, I do not want to live with regret. Rather than defining my life by whether I succeed or fail, I want to define it by whether I had the courage to take on a challenge. With that belief in mind, I ultimately decided to pursue this path.’ Sasaki played under Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani’s father, Toru, and is Japan’s all-time high school home run leader with 140. He made waves out of high school, opting out of the Nippon league’s draft to play at Stanford. The 21-year-old first baseman played two seasons at Stanford, hitting .262 with 16 homers and 47 RBIs as a sophomore last year. “I went back and forth on this decision until the very end,’ Sasaki said. ‘Ever since I chose to attend Stanford, I have always had a strong desire to challenge myself in the United States. In the end, that desire won out. I felt that I wanted to see how far I could go by challenging myself in America, and that feeling became stronger than anything else.” The Atlanta Braves optioned right-hander Owen Murphy to Triple-A Gwinnett and selected the contract of veteran right-hander Elieser Hernandez before Sunday’s game against the Texas Rangers. Murphy, 22, allowed three runs, two earned, in 2 2/3 innings in Saturday’s 7-6 loss to the Rangers in his first major league start. Braves manager Walt Weiss said Murphy “threw fine” but “left some pitches over the plate. It was more about execution than anything else.” Hernández, 31, last pitched in the majors in 2024, when he compiled a combined 6.32 ERA in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. In six seasons, Hernández is 10-22 with a 5.10 ERA in 99 games, including 49 starts. Weiss acknowledged the Braves have some important decisions to make regarding their pitching staff before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Left-hander Martin Perez, who has been on the injured list since July 6 with a left forearm contusion, threw in the bullpen on Sunday. Right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver may be close to completing his rehabilitation following right elbow surgery. Weiss said Saturday that Pérez “is on the radar” and close to coming off the IL. Weiss said Smith Shawver “will be in the conversation” after throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his last start for Gwinnett. “We need to take a step forward with our starting pitching,” Weiss said. “The guys have done it. They’ve been good this year, especially early on for a few months. So it’s certainly in there. But yeah, we’ve got to put together some good starts.” The Braves’ lineup also could receive a boost within a few days. Ronald Acuna Jr. (strained left hamstring) could be close to coming off the injured list as he continues his rehab at Gwinnett. The Baltimore Orioles and starting pitcher Kyle Bradish have agreed to a five-year extension, the team announced. Three years of Bradish’s free agency are bought out by the deal, which will pay $90 million. Bradish, who was drafted by the Angels in the fourth round of the 2018 MLB Draft before the Orioles acquired him a year later in the Dylan Bundy trade, has spent his entire big-league career with Baltimore. Bradish debuted in 2022, making 23 starts with a 4.90 ERA, and in the four seasons since has produced a 3.03 ERA over 347 ⅓ innings and 63 starts. While Bradish missed time in 2024 and 2025 – midseason Tommy John surgery ended the former and delayed the latter – he has remained productive, and has a 3.61 ERA in 2026 despite it sitting at 5.02 through May 2. Bradish was originally set to be a free agent in 2029, but instead will be paid $10 million in 2027, $13 million in 2028, $17 million in 2029, $22 million in 2030 and $28 million in 2031, when he is 34 years old. “Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement. New York Mets interim manager Andy Green said the club is fully compliant with Major League Baseball when asked about a report that singled out his organization for using artificial intelligence for in-game strategy decisions. “Whatever the rules are, we remain fully compliant and Major League Baseball makes those determinations,” Green said before Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Former Mets reliever Adam Ottavino said on his YouTube livestream “Baseball & Coffee” that the Mets had been using AI and cited spending by team owner Steve Cohen on the software. Ottavino pitched for the Mets from 2022-24 and is now a broadcaster on the New York Yankees’ YES Network. “The Mets were actually the team, the main team, that got cracked down on,” Ottavino said. “They had an AI program that was very expensive apparently and they were bragging about it a little bit early on in this — the year. Some of the coaches that I know were talking about it from around the league and they had basically an AI program helping them pick pitches and I think some other stuff.” Asked specifically about Ottavino’s assertion, Green said: “I don’t think it does us any good to talk about what everybody says publicly. From my perspective, what I just said remains true: We remain compliant with everything MLB’s asked us to do. And we’ll continue to do that.” Major League Baseball is restricting iPad usage in dugouts. The tablets have access to video and league-provided data, and also included a custom tab where teams could access other programs. MLB made the custom tabs inaccessible to teams starting Wednesday night, when the second half of the season started. Green deferred to MLB and said he did not have a strong opinion on the issue. The Athletics have struggled of late, dropping 10 games in a row before finally winning again on Saturday. Part of the issue has been players missing to injury, such as powerful first baseman Nick Kurtz. Kurtz missed the All-Star Game and was placed on the IL retroactive to July 10 with a thumb sprain, and per MLB is yet to resume any kind of baseball activities. Kurtz had been dominant this season, leading the majors in on-base percentage and slugging comfortably over .500 with 20 homers, but went 0 for his last 20 before finally landing on the IL, dropping his line to .266/.405/.497 – his struggles hurt the A’s in the lead up to his IL stint, and his absence caused a different problem. Kurtz isn’t the only A’s player on the IL. Outfielder and defensive specialist Denzel Clarke has been limited to just 22 games this season due to a bone bruise in his right foot; the same MLB report states that he is seeing progression in swinging, running and throwing. Utility player Zack Gelof suffered a knee laceration that required an MRI, interrupting a season in which he’s hitting .273/.327/.476 with 11 homers. His stitches will be removed on July 21, and he can begin baseball activities again at that point. Yankees’ pitcher Clarke Schmidt threw an inning of batting practice for the first time since Tommy John surgery on July 11 last year and said he reached 95 mph. A 30-year-old right-hander, Schmidt threw four-seamers, sinkers and cutters among 15 pitches to Anthony Volpe and Ali Sanchez. He did not throw sliders, sweepers or knuckle-curves. “Not full game feeling with the butterflies and stuff like that, but close to it,” Schmidt said. “To be able to put your stuff on display and be able get back out there after a year is a good feeling.” Schmidt had an internal brace in this operation. He had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, a month before the Yankees selected him with the 16th overall pick in the amateur draft. “The first one, when you kind of start the bullpen phase, it feels a little yucky at times and you just have a lot more days where you’re like, ah, it doesn’t feel great,” he said. “It just feels a little more easier where it’s like I don’t have to reach back and have those days where you’re grinding a little bit.” Schmidt is to throw batting practice again in four or five days. He may return this year as a reliever and is willing to be an opener or a bridge pitcher. “I know that we have a little more limited time for me this year as far as ability to build up the pitch count,” he said. “Obviously I’m open to everything as long as I’m out there competing and being able to help the guys. … I know I’ll be able to be back at some point in some facet this year.’ Left-hander Max Fried, out since May 14 because of a left elbow bone bruise, made his first rehab start Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre against Worcester, allowing two runs and five hits over three innings with three strikeouts and no walks. “He looked really good. I watched his whole outing,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He felt really good. So 52 pitches, so another one in five days. We’ll up that and we’ll see what we’re at from there.” Yankees’ manager Aaron Boone is hopeful designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is nearing a return from a strained right calf that has sidelined him since April 24. “He is a week into the running progression, been hitting,” Boone said. “Obviously had a setback, whenever, three, four weeks ago now, but he seems to be moving in a good direction so hopefully getting close.” Stanton still hasn’t run the bases. Stanton hit .256/.302/.422 with three homers in 24 games before suffering the strained calf injury. The 36-year-old DH suffered a setback in mid-June, for what was initially deemed a low-grade strain after he injured himself jogging from first base to second base on a walk by second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. July 18 On the same day the Milwaukee Brewers gave fans Brandon Woodruff bobbleheads, the starting pitcher announced he would be undergoing another anterior capsule surgery on his right shoulder, likely ending his season. Woodruff told reporters before Saturday afternoon’s game against the Miami Marlins it is the same surgery he had after the 2023 season. While he wouldn’t put a timeline on his rehab, his last recovery was about 20 months between surgery and when he returned to the mound. “I’m never closing the door on pitching,” Woodruff said. “I’m getting this (surgery) with the intention of rehabbing and taking care of that and being able to pitch again.” One day after Woodruff was pulled from a July 4 start against the Arizona Diamondbacks amid a drop in velocity, the Brewers diagnosed him with a new injury to his anterior capsule and placed him on the 15-day injured list. He was shifted to the 60-day injured list July 12. “I knew, when we went to the mound (to pull Woodruff), it was bad,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “It’s tough to come back from what he’s going to have to come back from.” Since going on the IL, Woodruff has worked with Dr. Keith Meister, who surgically repaired his shoulder after the 2023 season. Meister removed Woodruff’s cyst this season in early May, a minor surgery that kept the right-hander sidelined for nearly two months. Shoulder injuries are nothing new for Woodruff, who didn’t pitch at all in 2024 after the surgery in October 2023. He returned midway through last season and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts, though a lat strain kept him from pitching in the playoffs. “Thankfully, I got that perspective, which I think will benefit me for sure,” Woodruff said about the rehab process. “It’s not going to be easy. I know it’s going to be tough. I know what’s ahead of me.” In nine starts in 2026, Woodruff went 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and 47 strikeouts in 45 ⅓ innings. Brewers’ outfielder Sal Frelick was pulled early from Friday’s 2-1 win against the Marlins, thanks to shoulder soreness, and on Saturday was placed on the IL with a right shoulder strain. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy told media post-game (credit, MLB) that, “Sal tried to make a throw in the outfield and he felt it. He’s had a little issue earlier this season. We don’t want to take any chances. … I suspect he won’t be able to go anytime soon. That’s what it looks like.” Frelick is batting .236/.301/.330 in what has been his worst season in the majors to this point – a significant dropoff from his nearly three-win 2025, in which Frelick posted a .756 OPS. The cause is very likely this same shoulder, as Frelick told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that it’s been bothering him for two months. Milwaukee does have rookie outfielder Luis Lara already on the bench, and he’s hit .294/.429/.353 in six games since his call-up, so the Brewers are not without an in-house option to fill in for Frelick. Lara signed a seven-year extension before his debut, with a guaranteed $31 million and the ability to earn up to $79 million through the life of the contract. Also an option is first baseman Jake Bauers, who has played 27 games in the outfield this season, and 234 in his career, including 86 in right. The Yankees announced that they have signed right-handed pitcher Bradley Hanner to an MLB contract, and then optioned him to Triple-A. To make room on the 40-man roster for Hanner, New York transferred Aaron Judge to the 60-day IL. Judge is eligible to come off the 60-day IL on July 31, as he was placed on the 10-day IL with with a stress fracture in his rib back on June 5, retroactive to June 2. However, he has not even begun to rehabilitate from the injury through baseball activities yet, and he isn’t about to, either, after getting a second opinion from Dr. Gregory Pearl during the All-Star break, per MLB, as his rib hasn’t healed enough to allow for it. Judge still believes he will return this season, however, whether that’s in August or September, but the move to the 60-day IL allows the Yankees to make 40-man roster moves around his recovery until such a time. Before hitting the IL, Judge was batting .248/.375/.533 with 17 homers, with his production hampered by playing through the stress fracture during the back-half of May. The Dodgers could be getting Kiké Hernández back soon, as the utility player began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. Hernández has played just two games this season, as he suffered an oblique strain before debuting in May, a delay which came from offseason elbow surgery. Los Angeles has thrived without Hernández on its bench, however, and will not be in a rush to bring him back, both because of that and because he has barely played in 2026 – a player gets 20 days on a rehab assignment, and while Hernández isn’t going to spend all 20 in the minors, per MLB, he’s not expected back until after the Dodgers’ current road trip ends. July 28, the start of the Dodgers’ return to Los Angeles, is the likely earliest return date for Hernández. Julio Rodríguez, the Seattle center fielder who was placed on the seven-day injured list July 3 because of a concussion, is projected to return to the Mariners’ lineup Saturday against the San Francisco Giants. Rodríguez was struck by a ball in the back of the head in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on July 2. He took part in pregame drills, ran the bases and was set to take swings off a pitching machine Friday, general manager Justin Hollander said. “It’s been a couple of weeks, he hasn’t done a lot of the things that you need to do in terms of full pregame, full activation, that sort of stuff. So, we’ll see where he is after today,’ Hollander said. “I would be hopeful that he’ll be ready to go tomorrow, but I don’t know that, and we’ll just see how he feels after the full pregame today.” Victor Robles started in place of Rodríguez on Friday night and batted eighth. The three-time All-Star Rodríguez played in a career-high 160 games last season. He had played in 87 games this season, hitting .259 with 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 40 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. Meanwhile, All-Star utilityman Brendan Donovan started a rehab assignment for Triple-A Tacoma on Friday. Donovan was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left groin muscle strain in May. The 29-year-old appeared in a game for the Mariners’ Arizona Complex League team on Wednesday, going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts and a walk. The Orioles acquired Triple-A outfielder Rudy Martin Jr. from the Royals and optioned him to the minors after placing him on the 40-man roster. To make room for Martin in the organization, Baltimore moved starter Chris Bassitt to the 60-day IL. Per the Baltimore Sun, Bassitt’s rehab following back surgery to remove a bone spur is progressing, as the 6-foot-5 right-hander threw 120-foot long toss and off of a mound. Bassitt was initially placed on the 15-day IL with lower back discomfort on June 15, retroactive to June 12; he’s already more than halfway through the 60 days of his new IL designation, and would be eligible to return before mid-August. Bassitt has struggled for the Orioles in 2026 after joining as a free agent this past offseason, with his strikeouts down and walks up, leading to a 5.27 ERA in 56 ⅓ innings. Bassitt was dealing with inflammation in his lower back at the end of 2025, however, and had an IL stint in September to address it, so it’s entirely possible that 2026’s struggles are tied once again to the back he just had addressed via surgery. Newly acquired right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. will initially pitch out of the bullpen for the Milwaukee Brewers as the team with second-best record in the majors continues to work through injuries to key members of its staff. The Brewers reinstated McCullers from the 15-day injured list on Friday and placed him on the active roster while optioning struggling reliever Jared Koenig to Triple-A Nashville. Milwaukee acquired McCullers, along with left-hander Colton Gordon, from the Houston Astros on Wednesday for outfield prospect Jadyn Fielder. Milwaukee is also paying just $2.5 million of the $6.73 million remaining on his contract, with the Astros covering the rest. McCullers explained to reporters before Friday night’s game against the Miami Marlins why he decided to waive a no-trade clause and accept the deal to Milwaukee. “I’ve always respected the way they play. They’re a hard-nosed group,” McCullers said. “It’s a good opportunity for me to come to a great winning club that has World Series aspirations. I’m excited to be a part of that.” McCullers Jr. is 53-40 with a 3.85 ERA over 154 games. He was an All-Star in 2017, had Tommy John surgery in November 2018 and missed the 2019 season. Surgery in June 2023 kept him out through the 2024 season. He had been on the IL since mid-May with right shoulder inflammation. McCullers, 32, the son of former big league reliever Lance McCullers, helped Houston win the World Series in 2017 and 2022. He had spent his entire career with the Astros. He said he spoke with current Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson and former closer Josh Hader, among others, before agreeing to the trade to Milwaukee. “One of the first calls I made was to Josh,” McCullers said. “Nothing but amazing things to say about the organization, the city, the fans.” July 17 Pitcher Chase Burns has agreed to a $105 million, seven-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds that covers 2027-33, two people familiar with the deal told the Associated Press on Thursday. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Burns has a $785,000 salary while in the major leagues this year and $198,173 in the unlikely event he is sent to the minors. Burns’ deal would run through the 2033 season and under the current labor contract covers three seasons of arbitration eligibility and the first two years after he would have been eligible for free agency. It does not include options or deferrals. The 23-year old right-hander was selected to the All-Star Game this season for the first time, but did not participate after he tweaked his right groin during a July 8 game against Philadelphia when trying to field the throw home on a wild pitch during the second inning. Burns was the second overall pick out of Wake Forest in the 2024 amateur draft. He went 7-3 with a 1.77 ERA in 13 starts in the Reds’ farm system before being called up to the majors last June. His 11 wins in 2026 are tied for second most in the majors and his 2.54 ERA is the sixth lowest. It is the largest guaranteed contract in the majors given to a pitcher with less than four years of service time and exceeds the previous high by 40% for someone with one year or more. Burns is also the first pitcher to sign a contract worth at least $100 million prior to at least five years of service time to exclude club options. The deal ties Homer Bailey’s for the largest guarantee given to a Reds’ pitcher and the third largest for any player in franchise history, only eclipsed by Joey Votto and Ken Griffey Jr. The Mets announced that right-hander Clay Holmes is set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Saturday with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones. Holmes has been on the 60-day IL since May 16, after suffering a fractured fibula on a 111 mph comebacker. Holmes was brilliant through nine starts before the injury, posting a 2.39 ERA across nine starts and 52 ⅔ innings, courtesy just 6.8 hits allowed per nine innings to compensate for over three walks per nine. Holmes, for his career, has allowed just 7.7 hits per nine. The 33-year-old starter has a $12 million player option for 2027, and given that the Mets have privately declared themselves deadline sellers to other front offices, he is a possibility to be moved before Aug. 3. Jul 16 Phillies reliever Brad Keller is expected to miss the rest of this season — and possibly more — with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Keller was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday and said he will seek a second opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, a top specialist, before making a determination about surgery. If the right-hander requires Tommy John surgery, he likely would miss most if not all of the 2027 season as well. Philadelphia signed Keller to a $22 million, two-year contract last December to be the team’s primary setup man for All-Star closer Jhoan Duran. “It sucks, for sure,” Keller said. “It was really weird because I felt good through my rehab process with my forearm. I felt good with my outing in Cincinnati. I just woke up the next day and it was really sore and it didn’t progress from there.” Keller spent three weeks on the IL with right forearm tendinitis. He returned last week and made one appearance on July 8 against the Reds. He pitched one scoreless inning and didn’t allow a hit. He walked one and had one strikeout. Keller said he had an MRI after the initial injury in June and it did not show a tear. He said if the tear occurred during his outing in Cincinnati, he didn’t feel it. “I don’t really recall a pitch or anything,” he said. “I didn’t feel it pop. It’s really strange. I just woke up the next morning and it was stiff. I got a couple days off and then went and got an MRI on Monday and it showed this. It was pretty surprising news.” Keller, who turns 31 this month, is 2-1 with a 4.02 ERA and three saves this season. He has appeared in 32 games, throwing 31 1/3 innings with 32 strikeouts and 13 walks. Philadelphia put Keller on the IL retroactive to July 13 and recalled right-hander Seth Johnson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace him on the active roster. The second-place Phillies were already expected to be active looking to upgrade their bullpen ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Keller’s injury could make that their top priority. July 15 Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will be a designated hitter at a minimum for this weekend’s series at the New York Yankees after having fluid drained from his left knee. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Ohtani had the procedure to relieve irritation following Sunday’s game and that the four-time MVP was taking a few days of vacation before the season’s second half. Roberts said the two-way star did not receive an injection. Two-time World Series champion Los Angeles opens the second half Friday for the start of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium. “He’s going to be in the lineup,” Roberts said before managing the National League in the All-Star Game. Ohtani is batting .293 with 22 homers and 58 RBIs while going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings over 14 starts. The four-time MVP skipped Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Ohtani last pitched on July 3. It isn’t yet clear whether he will pitch against the Yankees. “We haven’t decided that yet,’ Roberts said. Junior Caminero feared the worst when a 98 mph sinker that didn’t sink struck him in the left hand in the All-Star Game. For the Tampa Bay Rays slugging third baseman, Caminero considered himself fortunate the hit-by-pitch was more a scare than a season-ender. “You are thinking the worst and honestly thought something may have been broken,” Caminero said through a translator. “But thank you to God, it’s fine and just a little bit sore. But we’re all good.” Caminero was struck on the outside of his left hand by St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien with the high hard one in the top of the third inning with the American League up 3-0 on Tuesday night. The 23-year-old Caminero, fourth in the major leagues with 28 home runs, stayed down for a few moments before he popped up and ran straight into the clubhouse. X-rays were negative. “Sinker on hands that didn’t hit my bat at all,” Caminero said. “So look, it was a scary moment. But you know right now, we feel really good.” The Rays resume their season Friday with a doubleheader in Boston. O’Brien, who has 24 saves this season for the Cardinals, checked in with Caminero in the AL clubhouse. “I told Ryan I really appreciate the gesture,” Caminero said. “He came into the clubhouse, and he took a few seconds to apologize, but I told him it was part of the game. He was really worried, but I told him look, these things happen. We are here to have fun, and we are here to enjoy the night.” July 14 On Saturday, the White Sox made UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky the first-overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. And now Chicago has officially signed the 21-year-old, to the richest signing bonus in amateur history, per MLB. Cholowsky’s deal comes with a $10.35 million bonus, besting the existing record held by Chase Burns and Charlie Condon by over $1 million. The slot value of the first-overall pick was actually over $11.35 million, but the White Sox agreed to a below-slot – but still record – deal, freeing up potential spending on other 2026 selections. A 6-foot-2 right-handed hitter, Cholowsky was a Golden Spikes finalist at UCLA and had a 1.088 OPS with 21 homers and 60 RBIs in his junior season. Cholowsky was a top prospect, who could have been selected high in the 2025 MLB amateur draft. Instead, he returned for a third season at UCLA, where he helped the Bruins become the first college baseball team to ever have an end-to-end season as the Associated Press No. 1 ranked team. The Bruins finished the regular season 48-6 overall (28-2 in the Big Ten), won the Big Ten tournament, and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. July 13 St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt has $20 million in escalators based on MVP voting and All-Star selection as part of his $112.5 million, eight-year contract that starts next year. Wetherholt receives a $2 million signing bonus payable on Nov. 15 under terms of the deal announced Friday, according to contract details obtained by The Associated Press. He gets salaries of $2.5 million next season, $4 million in 2028, $7.5 million in 2029, $12.5 million in 2030, $17 million in 2031, $20 million in 2032, $22 million in 2033 and $25 million in 2034. Wetherholt can start earning the escalators in 2031 and boost his salaries by up to $5 million in 2032 and $7.5 million in each of the following two seasons. He would receive a $5 million boost in all following seasons for winning an MVP award and $2.5 million for finishing second through fifth in the voting. Wetherholt would get a $500,000 increase in the following season only for finishing sixth through 10th, and he would get a $250,000 raise the next season if he is an All-Star; he would be given a $2 million assignment bonus if traded. Wetherholt was selected seventh overall in the 2024 amateur draft and signed for a $6.9 million bonus. He made the Cardinals’ opening day roster this season and homered against the Tampa Bay Rays in his debut on March 26. Wetherholt is earning the $780,000 major-league minimum this year as part of a contract that calls for a $63,600 salary while in the minor leagues. The struggling Athletics on Monday dismissed pitching coach Scott Emerson. The team announced bullpen coach Dan Hubbs will serve as interim pitching coach for the remainder of the season. Sunday’s 9-1 loss at the Chicago White Sox left the Athletics with a nine-game losing streak entering the All-Star break. The Athletics’ 5.21 ERA ranks next to last in the major leagues, ahead of only Colorado’s 5.44. At 41-55, the Athletics are fourth in the AL West. Emerson joined the Athletics in 2014 as bullpen coach and was promoted to pitching coach in 2017. July 12 Houston Astros center fielder Brice Matthews left the game against Texas with a left knee injury Sunday after crashing back into the wall while pulling back a ball hit by Josh Jung. The ball fell from Matthews’ glove and went for a triple. Matthews crouched on his right knee for a period of minutes and was attended to by trainer Eric Velazquez with manager Joe Espada looking on. Matthews finished the inning, one more batter, but was pinch hit for in the second inning by Taylor Trammell. Matthews, 24, is a Houston native and a graduate of Atascocita High School in nearby Humble. He’s hitting .197 through 81 games after making his major league debut last summer and playing 13 games. The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Zac Gallen on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, while left-hander Mitch Bratt was recalled to start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Gallen was supposed to start Sunday’s final game before the MLB All-Star break before manager Torey Lovullo announced a change late Saturday. Gallen, 30, has struggled for more than a month, going 0-5 with an 8.24 ERA over his past eight starts, going back to May 29. He is 3-9 on the season with a 6.34 ERA over 19 starts. “I think he felt something and he spoke up and that’s when we decided to get him examined,” said Lovullo, who added that a timeline for recovery will be established during the All-Star break. A veteran of eight major-league seasons, Gallen is 69-61 with a 3.83 ERA over 195 career starts for the Miami Marlins and Diamondbacks. He was a National League All-Star in 2023 when he finished third in NL Cy Young Award voting. Bratt, 23, is making his second appearance on the Diamondbacks’ roster. He made his major-league debut on June 24 when he allowed one run over three innings in a start against the St Louis Cardinals. The Texas Rangers placed veteran reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with a right shoulder injury. Martin, 40, has allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings in making four appearances after being activated on July 4 from the IL following the same shoulder issue. He has pitched in 16 games this season, going 1-1 with a 9.00 ERA and giving up 25 hits in 14 innings. The Arlington High grad made 49 appearances last season beginning his second stint with his hometown ballclub, earning two of his 16 career saves over parts of 11 major league seasons. In the corresponding roster move, Texas recalled right-hander Emiliano Teodo from Triple-A Round Rock. Teodo, 25, was 3-3 at Round Rock with a 3.76 ERA in 35 relief appearances July 11 Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz, who was set to start at first base for the American League at next week’s All-Star Game, went on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right thumb sprain. MLB announced that White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters is replacing Kurtz on the AL All-Star roster. The move is retroactive to Friday. Kurtz did not play in the Athletics’ 14-1 loss to the White Sox in Chicago. In a corresponding move, the Athletics recalled catcher Brian Serven from Triple-A Las Vegas before Saturday’s game against the White Sox. Neither Kurtz nor Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was available to speak to reporters. Kurtz is batting .266 with 20 home runs, 66 RBIs and a league-leading 76 walks. The 23-year-old was the AL rookie of the year last season, when he batted .290 with 36 homers and 86 RBIs. He landed on injured list for the second time in his career after being sidelined with a strained left hip flexor in May 2025. Across parts of four seasons, Serven is a career .188 hitter with six home runs and 20 RBIs. In 55 games with Las Vegas this year, Serven is hitting .308 with 18 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBIs. Milwaukee Brewers left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison has gone on the 15-day injured list with tightness in his throwing forearm. The Brewers announced the move before their Saturday doubleheader with the Pittsburgh Pirates. They recalled left-hander Robert Gasser from Triple-A Nashville. The move is retroactive to Thursday. Harrison had told reporters that he was dealing with elbow soreness after he pitched four innings and took the loss in a 5-1 defeat at St. Louis on Wednesday. Harrison is having a breakthrough season in his first year with the Brewers, but he has allowed six runs over 6 2/3 innings in his last two starts. He owns a 8-2 record with a 3.01 ERA and 101 strikeouts over 83 2/3 innings. The Brewers acquired Harrison as part of a February trade with the Boston Red Sox. Gasser is 2-3 with a 4.15 ERA in eight starts with Milwaukee this season. Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson made franchise history on Friday night against the St. Louis Cardinals when he played in his 741st consecutive game for the team to break Dale Murphy’s record of 740 set from 1981 to 1986. Olson signed with Atlanta as a free agent ahead of the 2022 season after playing parts of six seasons with the Oakland Athletics. He has started 740 of his 741 games as a member of the Braves with the lone exception coming on Sept. 24, 2022 at Philadelphia when he entered the game in the bottom of the eighth inning as a defensive replacement. “It’s quite an accomplishment,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “This is a tough league. We play virtually every day, so to do something like that is mind boggling, really. The Ripken thing is another universe, but what Matt Olson is doing is really, really impressive.” Olson has played in 875 consecutive games overall which is the ninth-longest streak in major league history, 20 games shy of Stan Musial’s 895 game streak with the Cardinals from 1952-57. Cal Ripken played in 2,632 consecutive games for Baltimore from May 1982 until September 1998. Olson last sat out a game on May 1, 2021, when he missed three games with the Athletics after suffering a left eye contusion during batting practice on April 29. The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired left-handed reliever Brandon Eisert and infielder Jacob Gonzalez from the Chicago White Sox on Friday night in a trade for minor league left-hander Jaden Woods and a competitive balance round selection in the amateur draft on Saturday. The draft selection is No. 34 overall. Eisert, 28, is 2-1 with a 5.93 ERA in 25 games this season, including four starts. Gonzalez, 24, was hitting .320 with 19 home runs in 53 games at Triple-A Charlotte after making his major league debut earlier in the season. He had been the corresponding move when rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami was activated off the IL on Friday. Woods, 24, has a 9.31 ERA in 10 relief appearances for Triple-A Indianapolis. Kazuma Okamoto hit his 22nd home run to tie Shohei Ohtani for the most by a Japanese-born rookie in a season in the majors to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday night. Okamoto drove a tiebreaking, three-run shot into the left-field seats on a 95-mph sinker from reliever Jhony Brito with one out in the fifth. Ohtani was with the Los Angeles Angels when he hit 22 in 2018. Ohtani, in his third season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, hit his 300th career homer on Tuesday night against Colorado’s Michael Lorenzen to become the first Japanese-born player in the majors to reach the milestone. Okamoto, 30, hit his first grand slam on Wednesday at San Francisco. Okamoto’s 22 homers before the All-Star break are the most by a Blue Jays player since Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 28 and Marcus Semien’s 22 in 2021, and the most by a Toronto rookie in franchise history. July 10 The slumping Chicago White Sox got a lift on Friday when they activated rookie slugger Munetaka Murakami from the 10-day injured list. Murakami had been sidelined since he strained his right hamstring during a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on May 29. At the time of the injury, the Japanese infielder ranked among the major league leaders with 20 homers, 41 RBIs, 43 runs and a .947 OPS. The White Sox have dropped three in a row and six of eight overall going into a weekend series against the Athletics. They went 17-18 while Murakami was on the injured list. Infielder Jacob Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. The 24-year-old Gonzalez, a first-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, hit .244 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 30 games in his first stint in the major leagues. The 26-year-old Murakami signed a $34 million, two-year contract with Chicago in December. He made two rehab appearances with Charlotte, going 2 for 7 with a double. White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi said getting Murakami back right now is huge. “Obviously, he’s a presence in the lineup,” he said. “He’ll bring the energy, I think. It seems like the vibe in here is kind of down right now but I’m sure seeing him tomorrow will spark it back up.” “We understand the impact he makes on the field and in the clubhouse so to activate him is going to mean a lot for our group,” Venable said. “Really excited about him.” Athletics outfielder Zack Gelof left in the third inning of a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night after injuring his right knee when he slammed it into the left field fence in foul territory while making a sliding catch. Manager Mark Kotsay said after the game that Gelof has a deep cut underneath his right kneecap and will have tests Friday. “Fortunately, it just missed the tendon,” Kotsay told reporters. “He’ll be reevaluated tomorrow to verify that with an MRI.” Leading off the third in a scoreless game, Zach McKinstry lofted a pitch from Jack Perkins down the left field line. Gelof made a long run into foul territory before he slid and made a terrific catch for the out, but his right knee slammed into the fencing that juts out. Gelof immediately grabbed his knee in obvious pain, a tear in his uniform pants showing where his leg made contact with the fence. The outfielder got back to his feet after a few moments and limped back to his spot in left field as Kotsay and head athletic trainer Jeff Collins jogged out to check on him. Gelof quickly went down to the ground again and was replaced by Colby Thomas, who opened the game in right field. Lawrence Butler took over in right. Gelof grounded out in his only at-bat in the second. He’s hitting .273 with 11 home runs and 29 RBIs in what has been a bounce-back season after starting out at Triple-A Las Vegas. The 26-year-old outfielder/infielder had a 24-game hitting streak stopped on June 23 after he was forced to leave against San Francisco when Matt Chapman inadvertently stepped on Gelof’s right hand as the second baseman was applying the tag with his glove hand. Gelof, who was placed on the injured list with a bruised hand, also had his on-base streak of 27 games end, along with a streak of scoring in 13 consecutive games. He was activated on July 4. Alan Porter will be the umpire crew chief and call balls and strikes for Tuesday night’s All-Star Game at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. The 48-year-old made his major league debut in 2010, joined the major league staff in 2013 and became a crew chief in 2023. He was the right field umpire for the 2015 All-Star Game and worked the World Series in 2019, 2022 and 2025. Porter will be joined by Chris Conroy at first, Chad Whitson at second, Ryan Additon at third, Adam Beck in left and Edwin Moscoso in right. Vic Carapazza will be the video review umpire in New York. Boston Red Sox pitcher Ranger Suárez will miss next week’s All-Star Game after he was placed on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a left groin strain. The IL stint for Suárez was made retroactive to Monday, a day after he left with two outs in the third inning in Boston’s 7-5 victory at the Los Angeles Angels. The left-hander is 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA in 17 starts in his first season after signing a $130 million, five-year contract with the Red Sox in free agency. The 30-year-old Suarez was scheduled to pitch again on Saturday at the New York Mets. “He is showing some improvement, but not enough to where, if there’s still some soreness and tightness in there, not enough to where we’re feeling comfortable he’s going to be able to go Saturday,” interim manager Chad Tracy said. Tracy said the team is considering several options for the start at New York, including Brayan Bello, who was optioned to Triple-A Worcester last month. With the All-Star break coming up, the Red Sox also could go with a bullpen game. Suárez also was an All-Star in 2024, but he missed the game because of back stiffness. This year’s Midsummer Classic is on Tuesday in Philadelphia, where Suárez spent his first eight big-league seasons. “Obviously sad. I wanted to be able to go there, represent my team and also enjoy the moment,” Suárez said through a translator. “But I think the best thing for me is to take care of my body and that’s what I’m going to do.” Suárez could be replaced on the AL team by Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray, who is 10-1 with a 2.61 ERA in 16 starts. Suárez said he is hopeful about coming off the IL as soon as he is eligible after the break. “The four days that we have a break, I’m going to do treatment and I hope I’m not going to lose any [starts], but we’ll see how it goes,” he said. Aaron Judge will have his injured rib tested during the All-Star break and the New York Yankees are hopeful the results show the three-time AL MVP is healing. Judge has not played since May 31 and went on the injured list June 5 with a stress fracture of his right rib after a CT scan, an MRI and a meeting with a specialist. “I don’t think we want to put him at risk of coming back while still injured,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters on Thursday. “He should be asymptomatic before we turn him loose. If he’s asymptomatic and not feeling anything and [medical images] are showing healing, then it’s probably appropriate to get him going again. But we don’t want to, because the schedule is what it is, put him in a position where we’re putting him in jeopardy where it somehow gets worse.” The Yankees were 14-19 without Judge entering their series finale against the AL-East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. Cashman said the injury has restricted Judge’s ability to work out his upper body because he can’t put stress on his rib cage. The new images will give a better understanding of where he stands in his rehab process. Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff was diagnosed on Wednesday with a new injury to his troublesome right shoulder after exiting early from his most recent start and returning to the injured list. The team said an MRI exam revealed a new injury to his anterior capsule, which was surgically repaired after the 2023 season. The Brewers planned to send Woodruff to surgeon Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion after initially diagnosing him with inflammation. The 33-year-old experienced a drop in velocity on Saturday at Arizona and was removed during the fourth inning of his third start since coming off the injured list, where he’d spent nearly two months after minor surgery to remove a cyst. Woodruff, who has a 2.98 ERA in nine starts this season, didn’t pitch at all in 2024. He returned midway through last season and fared well, before a lat muscle strain kept him from pitching in the playoffs. “It’s hard, but he’s trying to be strong, and he’s trying to look for the positive in all of it,’ Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters in St. Louis before the game. ‘He was so good when he was pitching. He makes the whole room relax.” Detroit Tigers All-Star catcher Dillon Dingler left Wednesday’s game against the Athletics with a injured right hand. Dingler was hit on the throwing hand by a foul tip off the bat of Jacob Wilson in the second inning. Dingler stayed in the game after a lengthy consultation with Detroit’s training staff. In the bottom of the inning, Jake Rogers pinch hit for Dingler. Rogers hit his second homer of the season, giving Detroit a 3-0 lead. Dingler entered Wednesday’s game hitting .262 with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs. July 7 Tyler Tolbert tied a major league record with hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances, finishing 5-for-6 on Tuesday night and powering the Kansas City Royals to a wild, 16-12 comeback win over the New York Mets. Batting ninth, the right fielder hit a two-run homer in the second inning and singled in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. Tolbert’s last three hits were infield hits. He flied out in the ninth. Tolbert matched the record set by Chicago’s Johnny Kling in 1902 and equaled by Walt Dropo of the Detroit Tigers in 1952. The second-year player grinned as he walked back to first base following the record-tying hit. The Citi Field scoreboard flashed a graphic noting his accomplishment. A.J. Minter retired Tolbert in the ninth. The remnants of the announced crowd of 32,734 gave Tolbert an ovation, and his teammates applauded while gathering on the top step of their dugout. Tolbert went 2 for 2 on Saturday night against Philadelphia before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. He then started at shortstop on Monday and went 5 for 5 with a homer, his first of the season. Every starter except Jac Caglianone had at least one RBI for the Royals, who trailed 9-4 before tying it with five runs in the fifth and pushing ahead with a seven-run seventh against Matt Seelinger (0-1), who made his major league debut. Lane Thomas went 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Tolbert scored four runs and drove in two. The Mets had been 200-1 when scoring 12 or more runs, losing 13-12 at San Francisco on May 24, 2022, despite Joc Pederson’s three-homer, eight-RBI game. Beck Way (1-0), the Royals’ fourth pitcher, got the final two outs of the seventh. Seth Lugo was tagged for a career-high nine runs, six earned, in 4 1/3 innings. Rookie A.J. Ewing homered and reached base in all five plate appearances for the Mets, going 4 for 4 with three RBIs and four runs scored. Juan Soto hit his 20th homer, a three-run shot. Milwaukee Brewers outfield prospect Luis Lara has been called up to the major leagues nearly a month after signing a seven-year, $31 million contract. The NL Central-leading Brewers announced before their doubleheader Tuesday with the St. Louis Cardinals that they had promoted Lara and optioned outfielder Blake Perkins to Triple-A Nashville. Lara, 21, was still playing for Nashville when the Brewers signed him last month to a deal that runs through 2032 and includes club options for 2033, 2034 and 2035. The 5-foot-7 outfielder from Venezuela has long been regarded as an outstanding fielder, but he’s having a breakthrough season at the plate. Lara hit .321 with a .432 on-base percentage, .470 slugging percentage, nine homers, 42 RBIs and 24 steals in 78 games with Nashville. He batted .257 with a .369 on-base percentage and .343 slugging percentage in 136 games for Double-A Biloxi last season. This marks the second time this year that a Brewers prospect has been called up to the majors after signing a long-term deal. Shortstop Cooper Pratt made his MLB debut on June 16, 2 1/2 months after he signed an eight-year, $50.75 million contract. Pratt, who turns 22 on Aug. 18, entered Tuesday’s doubleheader with a .204 batting average, .313 on-base percentage, no homers, two RBIs and six steals in 18 games with Milwaukee. Perkins, 29, was hitting .157 with a .250 on-base percentage, one homer, 11 RBIs and three steals in 53 games with the Brewers. July 6 Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli’s suspension for his role in last Tuesday’s brawl at Boston has been reduced on appeal from seven games to five, Major League Baseball announced on Monday. Cavalli struck out Boston’s Willson Contreras looking in the fourth inning of an 8-1 Nationals victory. Cavalli shouted at Contreras, who threw his helmet and moved toward the mound. After they continued yelling at each other, both benches emptied. The right-hander began serving the suspension Monday as the Nationals opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Barring any postponements, Cavalli would be eligible to return Sunday against the New York Yankees in Washington’s final game before the All-Star break. While Contreras was ejected, Cavalli remained in the game and struck out 13 in seven innings while allowing one run. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts this season. Contreras was also suspended seven games, while Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Boston outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) were also disciplined last week. All three are appealing their penalties. Reliever Evan Phillips was reinstated off the injured list Monday, returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers 13 months after having Tommy John surgery. The 31-year-old right-hander spent the last month at Triple-A Oklahoma City, where he had a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts and five walks in 10 innings over 12 games for the Comets. “My primary mix is very sharp and ready to roll,” he said before the Dodgers opened a three-game set with the Colorado Rockies. Phillips had the surgery in May 2025, setting him on course for the first long-term rehab stint of his career. “Credit to myself to stick with the process, leaning a lot on my family and my teammates here,” he said. “I was very appreciative to spend my rehab here last year after the injury. I think that helped my mindset stay focused as well. Just ready for this next step.” Phillips won’t be needed again in the closer role. Tanner Scott has been ably filling in for the injured Edwin Diaz, who went on the IL in April for loose bodies in his elbow. Scott figures to slot into a middle-relief position as he builds up to a potentially bigger role in October, when the NL West-leading Dodgers are expected to seek a third consecutive World Series championship. During his month in the minors, Phillips spent his first several games focused on the physical side of pitching, including experimenting with grips, location, and working on a changeup. Then he flipped the switch. “The second half of it I really tried to step up the execution and competition side of things,” he said. “That way, hopefully, it’s not the first time I’m doing it here.” The Atlanta Braves placed left-hander Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list on Monday with a left forearm contusion. Pérez was hit by Juan Soto’s line drive in Sunday’s 10-9 loss to the New York Mets and left the game. Afterward, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays were negative. Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 3.54 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts. Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment after allowing five runs on five hits in two innings on Sunday. The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett and called up right-hander Owen Murphy, who has pitched for Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this season. Murphy would make his major league debut if used in a game. Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.53 ERA in nine games, including seven starts, for Atlanta this season. He was optioned to Gwinnett on Sunday after he threw three scoreless innings to earn his first save in Saturday night’s 14-3 win over New York. The Mets also made a move before Monday night’s game at the Braves, acquiring right-hander Matt Seelinger from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Seelinger, 31, was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He had a 3.89 ERA and one save in 27 games with Triple-A Toledo this season and has never pitched in the majors. July 5 Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff has gone back on the injured list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, one day after a drop in velocity led to his early exit from a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Brewers recalled left-handed pitcher Drew Rom from Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move Sunday. Woodruff was removed from the Brewers’ 4-3 loss at Arizona on Saturday in the fourth inning after striking out Adrian Del Castillo on a 75.1-mph changeup. Although Woodruff struck out the only two batters he faced in the fourth, none of the pitches he threw that inning exceeded 87.3 mph. This had been Woodruff’s third start since coming off the injured list after an absence of almost two months. A drop in velocity also resulted in his first trip to the injured list this season. Woodruff also was facing the Diamondbacks on April 30 when he lasted just 1 1/3 innings because the average velocity of his fastball was just 85.4 mph. “First inning was fine, then it was kind of a slow progression of discomfort,” Woodruff said after Saturday’s game. “It’s kind of the life of my shoulder. You hope that it will hold on until the end of the year and then you reassess and make some adjustments. But it’s kind of popped up on me here.” Woodruff has pitched well when available. The two-time All-Star is 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA in nine starts this season, though he took the loss Saturday after allowing a three-run homer to Del Castillo in the first inning. Shoulder issues have hindered Woodruff for a few years now. He underwent shoulder surgery after the 2023 season and didn’t pitch at all in 2024. He returned midway through last season and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts, though a lat strain kept him from pitching in the playoffs. “It gets a little frustrating dealing with this,” Woodruff said Saturday. “It kind of comes in waves.” Rom had four relief outings in Milwaukee earlier this season with a 3.38 ERA. He has gone 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA and one save in 25 relief appearances at Nashville. José Ramírez has made steady progress in his recovery from hand surgery and the Cleveland Guardians star third baseman will soon start taking batting practice. The seven-time All-Star has been out since having a portion of the hamate bone in his left hand removed on June 16. Ramírez injured his hand while making a swing against the Detroit Tigers three days earlier. Chris Antonetti, the Guardians’ president of baseball operations, said Ramírez has been hitting off a tee and is scheduled to start overhand batting practice “over the next couple days.” Antonetti said the 5-to-7-week recovery timeframe on Ramírez remains unchanged, and the team expects him back later this month following the All-Star break. When the switch-hitting Ramírez had the same procedure done on his right hand in 2019, he returned in 30 days. Antonetti stressed that Ramírez has more hurdles to overcome. “It’s really individual specific,” Antonetti said Sunday when asked if the 33-year-old could be back sooner. ‘It’s how well the recovery site heals, how much discomfort they have over the surgery site and when they can progress to activity. “So far, Hosey has met or exceeded all of those checkpoints along the way. So, hopefully, we’ll be on the shorter side of that. But again, he still has a lot of activity or a lot of boxes to check between now and then.” One of the AL’s top players, Ramírez, a .278 career hitter, was batting just .239 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs when he got hurt. He was leading the league with 24 steals. July 4 Shohei Ohtani left Friday night’s game against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning with a right biceps issue and is unlikely to pitch in the All-Star Game after the Los Angeles Dodgers adjusted his schedule. The two-way superstar was hitless in three at-bats before being lifted as a precaution. On the mound, Ohtani allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out nine and threw a season-high 110 pitches before Los Angeles rallied for a 4-3 victory. Ohtani said he felt the biceps issue during his at-bat in the sixth, when he flied out to right field. “It’s the same location that I felt a couple months ago,” he said through a translator. ‘It went away pretty relatively quickly, so I expect that to happen again.” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts , who will manage the National League All-Stars in Philadelphia, said Ohtani would be given Saturday off to recover and receive treatment. “He’s a quick healer and finds a way to get back,” said Roberts, who added that Ohtani’s previous biceps issue was ‘so benign that I didn’t hear about it until tonight.” Ohtani has primarily been starting on the mound every Wednesday, but the team pushed him back to Friday this week to manage his workload. Ohtani has been bothered by left knee soreness and has a blister on the middle finger of his right hand. “He feels good, the body feels good,” Roberts said before Friday’s game. “The knee feels as good as it’s felt in quite some time, so that’s encouraging.” Asked if that meant Ohtani was unlikely to pitch in the All-Star Game, Roberts said before the game: “I haven’t formally said it, but if you just kind of do the math, it would be hard to imagine. But I don’t have to make that decision quite yet.” Mike Trout believes he can return from a hamstring injury for the Los Angeles Angels next week, giving him enough time to be ready for the All-Star Game in Philadelphia this month. Trout has been out since June 17, when he strained his right hamstring while running the bases against Arizona. He performed his normal pregame routine Friday before the Angels opened a series against the Boston Red Sox, and he expects to hit on the field this weekend. Trout said he is optimistic about playing early next week, and manager Kurt Suzuki didn’t disagree. “He looks good,’ Suzuki said. “I saw him today when I first came in. He was working out. He was obviously on the road trip, doing his thing. He’s getting really close. Really, really close.” The 34-year-old Trout hasn’t been officially selected for the All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park, but the two-time All-Star Game MVP is expected to be elected to the AL’s starting outfield in what would be his 12th All-Star nod. The honor would be particularly special this year for Trout, who grew up 40 miles from Philadelphia in Millville, New Jersey. The three-time AL MVP hasn’t participated in the All-Star festivities since 2019. He wasn’t able to play due to injury after being selected from 2021-23, and he injured his knee early in the 2024 season before not being selected last year. Trout has bounced back and stayed mostly healthy for the last-place Angels this season, posting a team-leading .866 OPS with 17 homers and 36 RBIs in 74 games. He said last week that he probably wouldn’t participate in the Home Run Derby as he tries to stay healthy. San Diego Padres starting pitcher Randy Vásquez went on the 15-day injured list Friday with a bruised right ankle. The 27-year-old right-hander took a comebacker off his ankle in the Padres’ 12-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. Vásquez was struck by the comebacker from Mookie Betts in the bottom of the first inning. He remained in the game and allowed four runs over three innings before being removed after 50 pitches. Vásquez was hospitalized after fainting on his way to get an X-ray. He was released at 3 a.m. Friday and tests on his ankle came back negative, but the Padres are taking a cautious approach. “It’s definitely really sore, he’s limping around a little bit with it,” manager Craig Stammen said. “All things point positive for Randy today, but just got to be careful. He’s definitely feeling the effects of everything that went on yesterday.” In another move, catcher Freddy Fermin went on the IL with a head contusion. “We’ve known the hits that Freddy’s taken to the head throughout the course of the season,” Stammen said, “and while he did not get diagnosed with a concussion, we thought it was smart to take care of him and just give him a little bit more time to heal up from that previous concussion without getting another head blow.” Seattle center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who was removed from the Mariners’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday night after being struck by a ball in the back of the head, was placed on the 7-day injured list on Friday with a concussion. In a corresponding move, the Mariners selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Miles Mastrobuoni from Triple-A Tacoma. Mastrobuoni was originally designated for assignment on June 19. He has appeared in eight games this season, hitting .217 with one RBI in 21 at-bats. Rodríguez was running from first to second on a ground ball in the first inning of Thursday’s 1-0 win when first baseman Nolan Schanuel fielded it and tried to throw to second to start a double play. The errant throw allowed Rodríguez to take third. “With head injuries, you have to be so careful,’ Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Friday. ‘Tough break, but we’ve been through it before.” Victor Robles started Friday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays in center field. Robles replaced Rodríguez in center field in the third inning of Thursday night’s game. The three-time All-Star Rodríguez played in a career-high 160 games last season. He had played in 87 games this season, hitting .259 with 15 doubles, 14 home runs, 40 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. July 3 Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko, who broke his back in a frightening collision with a minor league teammate Tuesday, posted on social media Thursday he faces a “lengthy” recovery but hopes to return to baseball. Lasko had surgery Tuesday night, a spinal decompression and stabilization procedure at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano to address a fractured C6-C7 vertebra. The outfielder was in stable condition Wednesday, according to the A’s. Lasko collided with Double-A Midland teammate Devin Taylor during a game in Frisco, Texas. Both dove for a flyball, and Lasko remained motionless on the field after the play. “I’d like to thank everyone for the well wishes & prayers,” Lasko posted. “I truly feel so loved and appreciated by everyone that has reached out. I am doing well and on the road to recovery. This is going to be a lengthy process but I hope to be able to get back to doing what I love.” A’s player development director Ed Sprague traveled to Frisco, and counseling was offered to players. The 24-year-old Lasko was selected by the Athletics in the second round of the 2023 amateur draft from Rutgers. He was batting .209 with six homers, 34 RBIs and a .635 OPS for Midland this season. Lasko appeared in 13 games at Triple-A Las Vegas last year. He also played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League for promising prospects, batting .357 with nine stolen bases. Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras were each issued a seven-game suspension by Major League Baseball on Thursday for their role in a benches-clearing fight between the teams. Nationals pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) were also suspended by MLB for their actions during the dustup that took place at Fenway Park in the fourth inning of Tuesday night’s game. The four players were also fined an undisclosed amount in the discipline announced by senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill. The suspensions were scheduled to begin on Friday when the Red Sox play on the road against the Los Angeles Angels and the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates. If any of the players elect to appeal the penalty, the ban will be delayed until that process is completed. Cavalli shouted at Contreras after striking him out looking on a full-count pitch. Contreras then threw his helmet at Cavalli and approached him on the mound. They began jawing at each other and both dugouts emptied. Contreras, Eaton, Mikolas and Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy were ejected. Cavalli was not. Contreras was tossed for a second straight game, having mimicked an appeal call after striking out on a checked swing during Monday’s game. He also celebrated a three-run homer off Mikolas in that game with a massive bat flip he later apologized for. The native of Venezuela acknowledged he’s been stressed since his native country was damaged by a pair of devastating earthquakes last week. July 1 Corey Seager is back on the injured list. The Texas Rangers shortstop was placed on the 10-day injured list before Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians because of lower back inflammation. Seager was in the lineup for Tuesday’s game but was removed before his first at-bat when his back flared up during warmups. He returned from the IL on June 25 after missing 12 games because of a concussion he sustained in a home plate collision with Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen on June 11. The 32-year-old Seager also missed 19 games from mid-May through early June because of back problems. Seager is batting .182 with 10 homers and 25 RBIs in 50 games. The five-time All-Star went 1 for 10 but walked five times in 15 at-bats since returning from his concussion. Texas called up infielder Josh Smith recalled from Triple-A Round Rock to fill Seager’s roster spot. Aaron Judge is approaching four weeks since going on the injured list with a stress fracture of his right rib, but the New York Yankees captain has yet to have updated scans. “I’ve got nothing for you,” Judge said Wednesday before the Yankees faced the Tigers. “You know how it goes around here — guys can feel good, feel bad, but you’ve got to wait on images. I’ll give you a good update when we get some imaging.” The three-time AL MVP has not played since May 31 and went on the injured list June 5 after a CT scan, an MRI and a meeting with a specialist. When the Yankees put Judge on the IL, they said he would have limited activity before getting re-evaluated and having additional imaging in four to six weeks. “There’s no need to talk about this now,” Judge said. “I know it’s an important topic and a big issue, but I want to give you guys the full story.” The Yankees began Wednesday 12-14 without Judge, who is hitting .248 with 17 homers and 38 RBIs. Judge had one homer in his final 18 games before getting sidelined and ended an 11-game homer and RBI drought with a game-ending, two-run drive on May 24 against the Tampa Bay Rays. New York won nine of its first 13 games without Judge but entered Wednesday hitting .127 during a six-game losing streak. “It’s not great,” Judge said. “It’s a little lack of focus. We got to dial it in.” San Francisco third baseman Matt Chapman left the Giants’ loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night because of an abdominal strain that he suffered in the sixth inning. The five-time Gold Glove winner is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury. The 33-year-old Chapman charged in on a ground ball, fielded it cleanly with his bare hand and threw out Gabriel Moreno at first to end the sixth, but was in obvious pain as he gingerly walked to the dugout. Chapman said his abdominal area had been bothering him some over the past several weeks, but the pain had been manageable until Tuesday’s incident. “It’s been hot and cold where I’m trying to figure out what’s going on,” Chapman said. “I made that bare-handed play and that was the first time that one specific play made me cringe and go down a little bit, where I was actually in a lot of pain.” He batted in the seventh and was retired on an infield pop out before leaving the game. Chapman is batting .235 this season with seven homers and 42 RBIs. Red Sox rookie starter Connelly Early snapped a 12-game quality start streak by Boston pitchers on Tuesday, thanks to leaving his start against the Nationals early due to elbow discomfort in his throwing arm. Early will undergo testing on his left elbow on Wednesday to determine the cause of the discomfort. He was removed immediately from the game after feeling the discomfort, which occurred on his final pitch of the night. Early has made 17 starts for the Red Sox in 2026, posting an ERA 3.44 while striking out over a batter per inning. The 24-year-old southpaw made the rotation out of spring training after debuting in the majors in September 2025 with an 11-strikeout start against the Athletics. June 30 New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried took another step in his recovery from a bone bruise in his left elbow, throwing about 30 pitches in a two-inning simulated game Tuesday. Fried was on the mound for about 20 minutes and used all his pitches while facing Ryan McMahon and Trent Grisham, who are slated to be activated off the injured list Friday. “It looked great, like really good,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees faced the Detroit Tigers. “Stuff was good. I thought he was really sharp.” Fried recently started throwing bullpen sessions and will face hitters again before Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Twins. The 32-year-old left-hander has been out since May 13, when he left a start in Baltimore against the Orioles after three innings when his velocity noticeably dropped, and he threw only 34 of 61 pitches for strikes. Fried also had an MRI and CT scan that were reviewed by Los Angeles Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache. McMahon, who is recovering from a throat infection, faced Fried three times. He popped out and struck out in the first two at-bats before seeing three more pitches in the final at-bat when Fried’s session ended. “All over the zone,” McMahon said. “He threw every pitch, landed the curveball and sweeper for strikes to me and the sinkers were nasty. Everything was good.’ Grisham, who is recovering from a strained right hamstring, saw about 10 pitches from Fried and struck out in his first appearance while fouling off a pair of pitches. Fried did not face Giancarlo Stanton, who is recovering from a strained right calf that has kept him out since April 24. Boone said on Monday Stanton was going to face Fried, but Tuesday said he misspoke. Fried is 4-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 10 starts after going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA and making the AL All-Star team last season, his first with the Yankees. He left the Atlanta Braves as a free agent to sign a $218 million, eight-year contract with New York in December 2024. Cincinnati Reds outfielder Dane Myers was placed on the 10-day injured list with a bruised left shoulder on Tuesday, one day after crashing into an outfield wall and getting carted off the field. The Reds announced the move before their Tuesday night game with the Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds also activated reliever Emilio Pagan from the 15-day injured list, optioned right-handed pitcher Zach McCambley to Triple-A Louisville and selected utilityman Ivan Johnson from Louisville. Myers’ left shoulder hit the wall as he made a running backhanded catch of Andrew Vaughn’s drive in the fourth inning of the Reds’ 5-3 loss to the Brewers on Monday. Reds manager Terry Francona said after Monday’s game that X-rays were negative, but Myers was still sent to the hospital “because he was in so much pain and so uncomfortable.” Myers has batted .256 with a .358 on-base percentage, three homers, 14 RBIs and five steals in 63 games. Pagán had been dealing with a left hamstring strain and had last pitched in the majors on May 5. He is 2-1 with a 6.43 ERA with six saves in 15 appearances. McCambley has a 6.23 ERA in four appearances with the Reds. Johnson has hit .290 with a .388 on-base percentage, nine homers, 28 RBIs and 11 steals in 55 games at Louisville. June 28 The Texas Rangers put outfielder Wyatt Langford on the 10-day injured list Sunday because of a strained left hamstring and activated outfielder Evan Carter off the IL. Langford had homered seven times in 20 games since returning from the IL on June 5 after missing 39 games because of a strained right forearm. This is the sixth IL stint of Langford’s career. He played 134 games each in 2024 and 2025 and has appeared in 40 games this season. Langford is batting .278 with eight homers and 20 RBIs. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Langford will likely be out until after the MLB All-Star break. Langford felt sore after beating out a double in Friday’s 5-4 win and was scratched from the lineup Saturday. Carter went on the IL on June 13 because of a strained right oblique. He entered Sunday’s game batting .176 with six homers and 21 RBIs in 66 games. Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter was activated off the injured list before Sunday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners. The rookie was in the lineup at designated hitter and batted third. DeLauter went on the IL on June 17 after he fractured a rib on his right side when he collided with the outfield wall during a June 13 game against the Detroit Tigers. That was also the same game in which seven-time All-Star third baseman José Ramírez and outfielder Angel Martinez suffered injuries. The Guardians are 4-7 since Ramírez broke a bone in his left hand while fouling off a pitch. He had surgery on June 16 and is expected to miss six more weeks. Martínez (non-displaced left foot fracture) is also on the IL. DeLauter is batting .263 with a .337 on-base percentage, seven homers and 34 RBIs in 66 games. Outfielder Petey Halpin was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to make room for DeLauter. Carlos Santana has found team No. 10. The 40-year-old first baseman/designated hitter has signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves, per ESPN. Santana, a 2019 Silver Slugger and 2024 Gold Glover, played eight games with the Arizona Diamondbacks this season before going on the injured list with a right adductor strain and being released on June 26. Santana split the 2025 MLB season with the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago Cubs, totaling 11 home runs and 54 RBIs over a combined 124 regular-season games. The year prior (2024), he blasted 23 home runs with the Minnesota Twins. Should Santana, who has 335 career home runs over 17 MLB seasons, get called up by the Braves, he would join an Atlanta club that stands atop the National League East at 49-32. June 27 Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Bassitt underwent facet bone spur removal on his back and could rejoin the team later in the year. Mike Elias, the team’s president of baseball operations and general manager, said Saturday the 37-year-old right-hander opted for surgery after injections to reduce inflammation in his back about a week ago did not work. “It’s a pretty minor procedure and we’ll see where he’s at in a couple weeks and see if and when he can start throwing,” Elias said. “We’re feeling pretty good about things right there. We feel there’s a very strong possibility we get him back in better condition before the end of the season.” Bassitt is 4-4 with a 5.27 ERA in his first year in Baltimore. He has not pitched since June 3. Elias said catcher Adley Rutschman could return to the active roster soon. Rutschman was hit in the head with a throw while running the bases June 18 and was placed on the concussion injured list two days later. “Adley’s doing well,” Elias said. “It’s improved the last couple of days. I think we’re getting close there.” Elias said both outfielder Dylan Beavers (right oblique strain) and pitcher Dean Kremer (right quad strain) are also nearing returns after rehabbing at Triple-A Norfolk this week. Right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo (shoulder inflammation) is expected to begin a rehabilitation assignment Sunday, while first baseman Ryan Mountcastle (fractured left foot) has just started running. Reliever Félix Bautista, an All-Star in 2023 who missed all of 2024 and pitched in only 35 games last season, has made progress in his recovery from right shoulder surgery. The 31-year-old had a torn labrum and torn rotator cuff repaired in August, and Elias did not specify a time frame for his return. “I have to keep my fingers really crossed with Félix because of the nature of the surgery he had and how difficult it is,” Elias said. “But he’s throwing really, really well and we’re pretty excited about where he’s at.” Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans will undergo elbow surgery on Wednesday that will determine the degree of repair needed, manager Matt Quatraro said Saturday. A 2024 All-Star, Ragans went on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement on May 8. He left his May 6 start against the Cleveland Guardians after three innings and was diagnosed with valgus extension overload. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on June 17. “They have read the MRI. They’re not going to be clear on the extent of it until they get in there and understand what they see,” Quatraro said. Neal ElAttrache is scheduled to perform the surgery. A three-time opening day starter for Kansas City and a 2016 first-round draft pick by Texas, Ragans (1-4, 4.84 ERA) missed most of last season due to left groin strain and rotator cuff strains. He underwent Tommy John surgery twice when he was in the Rangers organization. June 26 The Los Angeles Angels announced the hiring of John Mozeliak as a baseball operations consultant. Mozeliak is also serving as the interim general manager as the Angels announced the firing of general manager Perry Minasian on Friday. Mozeliak joined the Angels after a 30-year tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Angels hired Minasian in 2020, and he hasn’t overseen a winning season since, with the highest win total being 77 games in 2021. More details have emerged on the “neck strain” that Cubs’ starter Ben Brown was placed on the 15-day IL with. Chicago’s manager, Craig Counsell, explained to The Score that Brown actually suffered a stress reaction in his neck. Counsell described the injury as similar to one Brown suffered in 2024, when he was okayed on the 15-day IL in June and spent the rest of the season recovering. The Cubs plan to rest Brown for a month, limiting his activity, and then will make a decision on next steps from there. Brown began the season in the bullpen, but worked his way into the rotation and has been dominant in that role: in eight starts, the 6-foot-6 right-hander owns a 1.70 ERA and has struck out just under a batter per inning while punching out 3.7 times as many hitters as he’s walked. General manager Jed Hoyer told The Athletic that, in addition to acquiring David Peterson from the Mets, the Cubs plan to add additional rotation help. Chicago is 44-37, sitting 6.5 games behind the Brewers in the NL Central, but 1.5 up on a wild-card spot. Carlos Mendoza was fired as manager of the underperforming New York Mets on Friday and replaced by Andy Green. New York is 34-47 following a six-game losing streak and a four-game sweep by the Cubs, 15 games behind NL East-leading Atlanta and 9.5 games back of the NL’s last wild-card berth. Mets owner Steve Cohen had high expectations for a team without a World Series title since 1986. New York opened the season with baseball’s highest payroll at $358 million and was projected to pay an additional $124 million in luxury tax. “Our commitment to bringing our fans a championship-caliber team has not changed,’ Cohen said in a statement. ‘There is no sugar-coating it: This season has been a disappointment and our fans deserve better than what we’ve delivered.” A former Yankees assistant coach, Mendoza replaced Buck Showalter after the 2023 season and led the Mets to a 206-199 record. While New York advanced to the NL Championship Series in 2024, the Mets failed to reach the playoffs last year and are among the sport’s biggest disappointments this season. “Carlos has led the organization with passion and grace and is beloved by everyone who works with him on a daily basis,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said in a statement. “Carlos’ impact on our players, staff, and culture over the last three seasons has been transformative. Unfortunately, we know we are falling short and change is necessary to move forward.” Green, a former major league infielder, joined the Mets in 2023 as senior vice president of baseball development. He managed San Diego to a 274-366 record from 2016-19. June 25 The Arizona Diamondbacks activated outfielder Max Kepler from the restricted list on Thursday following his completion of an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. Kepler, who signed a free agent deal with the Diamondbacks on June 7, hit .333 with two home runs in 10 minor league games. He was fifth in the batting order and played left field for the Diamondbacks against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday night. Kepler was suspended in January for a positive test for Epitrenbolone, a metabolite of Trenbolone that’s contained in some products used in body-building stores and has been used in products to promote cattle growth. Kepler was the first player suspended by MLB for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005. “It’s a great opportunity for him,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said before Thursday’s game. “I’m glad that he’s here. … He’s been working his tail off to get back here as soon as possible, and the fact that he’s in this lineup tonight is not surprising to any of us. He’s going to go out there and help us win a baseball game by impacting it the right way.” Kepler, 33, hit .216 with 18 homers and 52 RBIs with Philadelphia last year after agreeing to a $10 million, one-year contract. He was slowed in 2024 by left patellar tendinitis and had core surgery after the season to repair a sports hernia. He has a .235 average with 179 home runs and 560 RBIs over an 11-year career. “I don’t know what happened, but he paid his penalty,” Lovullo said. “He served it, and he’s here, and he wants to show the world that he can still play this game at a very high level.” To make room for Kepler on the 40 man, the Diamondbacks moved RHP Ryne Nelson (strained right elbow) to the 60-day disabled list. Arizona also optioned OF Tim Tawa and LHP Mitch Bratt to Triple-A Reno and recalled RHP Juan Burgos. Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager was activated from the concussion list on June 25 after the two-time World Series MVP missed 12 games. The Rangers made the move before the opener of their four-game series at the Toronto Blue Jays, when Seager was in the lineup batting third. It came on the eighth of 15 consecutive days that Texas had a scheduled game. Utility player Cody Freeman was placed on the 10-day injured list with a herniated disk. Seager was on MLB’s seven-day IL for the concussion that resulted from a collision with Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen on June 11, though Seager remained in that game and later hit a home run. That was only his fifth game back after missing 19 games from May 15-June 4 with lower back inflammation. In the 47 games he played in this season before Thursday, Seager hit .186 with nine home runs and 24 RBIs. When Seager was activated from the IL the first time, he hit a two-run homer in his first game back that put the Rangers ahead in a 3-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians on June 5. That snapped a career-worst 0-for-29 slump in the five-time All-Star’s 12 big-league seasons. Texas also released infielder Blaine Crim, who had hit .263 in 21 games at Triple-A Round Rock since being acquired May 23 on a waiver claim from the Colorado Rockies. The Pittsburgh Pirates placed first baseman Spencer Horwitz on the 10-day injured list Thursday because of a left hamstring injury. Horwitz was injured Wednesday night in an 11-1 win over the Seattle Mariners. He felt a grabbing sensation in his leg while grounding into a double play in the third inning. He was removed for a pinch-hitter an inning later. In 74 games this season, Horwitz is hitting .280 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs. Infielder Jack Brannigan was recalled from Double-A Altoona. The 25-year-old has yet to make it in the big leagues after being selected in the third round of the 2012 draft from Notre Dame. The Pirates and Mariners were set to finish a three-game series on Thursday. June 24 Facing a rotation depleted by injuries, the Chicago Cubs acquired left-handed pitcher David Peterson from the New York Mets on Wednesday night, per ESPN. Peterson is set to enter free agency this offseason following a challenging season on the mound for the Mets. Over 68 innings pitched, he struggled to a 3-6 record with a 6.09 ERA, a 1.65 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts. The Cubs acquired Peterson from the Mets in exchange for first baseman Cole Mathis, Chicago’s No. 13 prospect. This deal could kick off an expected fire sale for the Mets, who sit dead last in the NL East at 34-46. Minnesota Twins right-hander Mick Abel has been recommended for arthroscopic elbow surgery after a recent setback in his injury recovery. After an assessment by orthopedic specialist Dr. Keith Meister, the Twins announced Wednesday that Abel will undergo the minor procedure more than two months after he first landed on the injured list. The timetable for Abel’s return won’t be determined until after the surgery. The Twins had Abel lined up to rejoin the rotation Sunday, after he made two smooth rehab starts for Triple-A St. Paul. But he reported soreness after his bullpen session Friday and was shut down from throwing. Abel was acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies with minor league catcher Eduardo Tait the day before the trade deadline last season for closer Jhoan Duran. The 24-year-old had a 3.98 ERA in four appearances this year, throwing 14 consecutive scoreless innings before he was sidelined by elbow inflammation following his start on April 14. Minnesota’s starting pitching has been depleted by injuries. Right-hander Pablo López, an All-Star in 2023, is out for the season following elbow surgery. Right-hander Bailey Ober has been sidelined for the last three weeks with elbow inflammation and won’t return until after the All-Star break. Left-hander Kendry Rojas, who started on Tuesday, was sent to Triple-A before the game Wednesday in the latest round of pitching roster moves made by the Twins. Milwaukee Brewers reliever Abner Uribe plans to serve his one-game suspension Wednesday night, nearly a month after Major League Baseball handed down the penalty. The suspension takes effect for Milwaukee’s game against the Cincinnati Reds as the Brewers attempt to complete a three-game sweep. Uribe was suspended and fined an undisclosed amount on May 29, three days after he celebrated an inning-ending strikeout by making three WWE-style crotch chops while facing St. Louis’ dugout during a 6-0 victory over the Cardinals. When the suspension was announced, Uribe said he planned to appeal it. He instead opted to serve the penalty Wednesday as part of a settlement agreement. Uribe has pitched four of the past five days, so he was unlikely to be available to pitch Wednesday anyway. Uribe is 4-2 and 3.38 ERA and five saves in 31 appearances this season. He has struck out 31 in 29 1/3 innings. The New York Yankees put infielder Ryan McMahon on the 10-day injured list due to a throat infection and recalled utility player Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York made the moves on Wednesday before wrapping up a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. McMahon is hitting .210 with eight homers — including five that have pulled the Yankees into a tie or given them the lead — and 23 RBIs in 69 games. Cabrera hit .234 with 20 home runs and 95 RBIs for the Yankees from 2022-25. Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera were placed on the injured list Wednesday, delivering two more blows for the pitching-depleted Chicago Cubs. Cabrera was expected to get imaging Wednesday after straining his left hamstring/adductor stretching for a throw at first base Tuesday during a 9-6 win over the New York Mets. Brown has a neck strain. He is 4-2 with one save and a 1.85 ERA for the Cubs, including being 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA in eight starts since joining the banged-up rotation on May 8. The Cubs have six starters sidelined, though opening day starter Matthew Boyd (left meniscus) is scheduled to come off the injured list and start in Brown’s spot Thursday. “We’re getting a guy that pitched opening day back for us, so that’s a big deal,” Counsell said. “Those are important players to get healthy and get in your rotation.” Jameson Taillon (strained left hamstring) is on the 15-day injured list. Counsell said the 34-year-old is progressing well and could throw off a mound soon. Cade Horton is out for the year after having Tommy John surgery, while Justin Steele is on the 60-day injured list recovering from his 2025 Tommy John surgery and a left flexor strain. General manager Jed Hoyer said this week Steele likely won’t return to the rotation this year. Francisco Lindor is ready to rejoin the New York Mets — just as Juan Soto deals with a back injury that may sideline him beyond Wednesday. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he couldn’t rule out a trip to the injured list for Soto, who exited a 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs after the fourth inning Tuesday night because of a tight back. Soto, who was pictured on SNY wearing a wrap around his back in the dugout Tuesday, underwent imaging before Wednesday’s doubleheader. Mendoza said he hoped Soto could be available at some point Wednesday but acknowledged a level of concern for the superstar outfielder, who is in the second season of a 15-year, $765 million deal. “We’ve got to wait,” Mendoza said. “Obviously not ideal when a player like him comes out of a game. Those guys are tough, and they know how important they are, and they take pride in being in the lineup every day and posting. “I just didn’t like how he looked yesterday. We’ve got to wait.” Soto’s injury may delay his reunion with Lindor, who is expected to be activated prior to Wednesday’s nightcap. The 32-year-old shortstop has been sidelined since suffering a strained left calf while running the bases against the Minnesota Twins on April 22 — the same day Soto returned from an 18-day stint on the shelf due to a strained right calf. Lindor played in his third rehab game Tuesday, when he was 2 for 5 while scoring twice for Triple-A Syracuse. He made the four-hour trip back to New York following the game, which factored into the Mets’ decision to hold off on activating him. “Everything checked out well after the game last night, but he got in late, so we told him to kind of recover this morning,” Mendoza said. “We anticipate him being in the lineup.” Mendoza said the Mets will proceed cautiously with Lindor following the longest injured stint of his 12-year career. Lindor, who missed just 15 games the previous four years, will likely sit out Thursday’s game and will also see more time than usual at designated hitter. Lindor and Soto have played just nine games together this season for the last-place Mets, who haven’t recovered from the 12-game losing streak they endured during Soto’s absence. New York, which hasn’t finished in last place since 2003, is seven games out of the final National League playoff spot. “I’m just worried about Soto,” Mendoza said. “I’m not thinking about Lindor back, Soto out. It is what it is, right? Hopefully, we can get those two in the lineup for a long time here for the rest of the season, and we can make a run at it.” Mendoza also announced beleaguered starter Kodai Senga has been shifted to the bullpen. Senga gave up seven runs over 3 2/3 innings Tuesday as his ERA rose to 10.08. He hasn’t earned a win since June 12, 2025, when he suffered a hamstring injury covering first base against the Washington Nationals. Senga, a noted creature of habit, has made just one relief appearance for the Mets. He threw the final 1 2/3 innings of Game 6 of the 2024 NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. “We’re going to adjust his routine; he’s going to have to adjust his routine,” Mendoza said. Mets slugger Juan Soto was removed from Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs because of back tightness. Soto appeared to grimace when he flied out in the first inning. He flied out again in the third and was replaced in left field in the top of the fifth with New York trailing 7-2. Jared Young moved from first base to left field, and Mark Vientos entered at first in Soto’s third spot in the batting order. In the bottom of the sixth, the last-place Mets announced Soto left with tightness on the left side of his back. “Back locked up there. So, he’s day-to-day. We’ll see where we’re at. He got treatment during the game, but he got to a point there, you could tell something was off,’ manager Carlos Mendoza said after his team’s 9-6 defeat. ‘He was making some faces there and obviously I checked with him and he got to a point where it was like, it was bothering him to throw and then to just get his A swing on it. So at that point, I thought it was just best to get him out of the game and have the trainers look at him.” Soto, a four-time All-Star and six-time Silver Slugger award winner, began the night batting .301 with 17 homers, 38 RBIs and a .974 OPS. He spent time on the injured list in April with a calf strain. Mets’ star shortstop Francisco Lindor (left calf strain) had two hits and scored twice in a rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse. A decision is expected Wednesday on whether to reinstate him from the injured list or wait a little longer. Lindor has not suited up for the Mets since April 22; New York is 25-28 in his absence, and in last place in the NL East. In the same game with Syracuse, outfielder Tyrone Taylor (right hip flexor strain) went 3 for 5 with a homer, a double and three runs against Lehigh Valley. Switch-hitting infielder Ronny Mauricio (broken left thumb) had two hits and three RBIs. New York expects right-hander Christian Scott (right hip impingement) to come off the injured list this weekend and start Saturday or Sunday against Philadelphia. New York has leaned on the likes of David Peterson (6.09 ERA in 68 innings) and Kodai Senga (10.08 ERA in seven starts) in the absence of Scott, who managed a 3.10 ERA in nine starts before landing on the IL. June 23 Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday night after injuring his left leg stretching for a throw at first base against the New York Mets. With two runners aboard in the fifth inning, Cabrera hustled over to cover the bag when Jared Young hit a two-out grounder wide of first. Second baseman Nico Hoerner made a sliding stop on the outfield grass and threw to Cabrera, who went into a split as he caught the toss for the final out of the inning. The 28-year-old right-hander grabbed the inside of his left thigh, then got to his feet and tried to walk toward the dugout. But he went back down in obvious pain and needed assistance just to stand before a cart arrived and he was driven off the field through an opening in the outfield wall at Citi Field. A few innings later came an announcement in the press box saying Cabrera exited his start with a left hamstring/adductor strain. The Seattle Mariners activated left fielder Randy Arozarena from the injured list on Tuesday night before the opener of a three-game series with Pittsburgh. Arozarena was sidelined since June 13 because of a strained left hamstring. He’s hitting .291/.377/.448 with seven home runs and 19 stolen bases in 71 games. Infielder/outfielder Connor Joe was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. Joe hit .179/.289/.308 with one homer in 21 games. Major league home runs leader Kyle Schwarber was scratched with lower back tightness before the Philadelphia Phillies’ game against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night. The announcement that the team’s designated hitter would be out came about five minutes before the game began. Edmundo Sosa replaced him in the Phillies’ lineup. Schwarber leads the majors this season with 29 home runs and is coming off a weekend in which he hit three against the Mets on Saturday and another one on Sunday. Schwarber went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in a 4-1 loss to the Nationals on Monday night. Elly De La Cruz was back in the Cincinnati Reds’ lineup for Tuesday night’s game against Milwaukee after spending just over three weeks on the injured list. The Reds announced they activated the two-time All-Star shortstop, who strained his right hamstring on May 31, and optioned outfielder Will Benson to Triple-A Louisville. De La Cruz completed a three-game rehab assignment at Louisville over the weekend. He homered and played five innings at shortstop on Friday, was 0 for 3 as the designated hitter Saturday and 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and an error on Sunday. De La Cruz was batting .280 with an .855 OPS and 12 home runs in 58 games before he went on the IL for the first time in his major league career. June 22 Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker was removed from Monday’s game against the Minnesota Twins in the second inning with low back spasms. Tucker walked with one out in the second and ran lightly to second base on Tommy Edman’s single to right field. Then, Tucker was replaced by pinch-runner Alex Call. Tucker stayed in the dugout, standing up next to dugout fence before heading into the clubhouse after the inning was over. After signing a four-year, $240 million contract with Los Angeles in January, Tucker has played in 75 of the Dodgers’ 79 games this season. But he’s hit just .234 with six home runs and four RBIs. The .234 average is his lowest since hitting .141 in 28 games as a rookie in Houston in 2018. He’s hit at least 22 homers in each of the past five seasons. The Dodgers also pulled catcher Dalton Rushing in the bottom of the third to rule out a concussion. Los Angeles was already without catcher Will Smith, who is on the 10-day IL with neck inflammation. Francisco Lindor will play at least one more minor-league rehab game before the New York Mets decide to activate their shortstop from the injured list following a two-month absence because of a strained left calf. Lindor will play his third rehab game on June 22 when he plays for Triple-A Syracuse. He split last weekend playing for Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse and was 1 for 8 while playing shortstop. “We’ll re-assess after the game and see what’s next for him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the Mets were scheduled to open a four-game series against the Chicago Cubs on Monday. Lindor was scheduled to take at-bats in a simulated game on the field Monday, but the session was canceled because of heavy rain. Instead, he participated in indoor baseball activities. “We’ll see whether he needs a day off, if he’s ready to come [back],” Mendoza said. “He’s just got to get through tomorrow and we’ll have those discussions.” Lindor strained his calf scoring on a double by Francisco Alvarez against the Minnesota Twins on April 22. His injury was more severe than the strained right calf that sidelined Juan Soto for 15 games in April when the Mets lost 12 in a row. Before getting hurt, Lindor batted .226 with two homers and five RBIs. He had elbow surgery following last season and missed most of spring training after surgery on his left hamate bone. The Mets began Monday 26-27 without Lindor, who is on the injured list for the third time in his 12-year big-league career. Without Lindor, Bo Bichette has received the bulk of the starts at shortstop after being signed to a $126 million, three-year contract to play third base. Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz is expected to be reinstated from the injured list on June 23 after missing 19 games with a strained right hamstring, manager Terry Francona said on June 22. De La Cruz — who has been sidelined since June 1 — took batting practice prior to the Reds’ Monday night series opener against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. He made three rehab starts for Triple-A Louisville, going 2 for 8 with a home run and two RBIs. After homering in his first rehab start on Friday, De La Cruz texted Francona, “Be there tomorrow,” but the Reds didn’t want to rush things. De La Cruz left the May 31 game against the Atlanta Braves with right hamstring tightness after he had a base hit in the fifth inning. He had a streak of appearing in 276 consecutive games snapped, the sixth-longest streak for a Reds player in the expansion era (1961-present). His streak began on July 30, 2024. Before going on the injured list, De La Cruz was batting .280 with 12 home runs. The Chicago White Sox activated Kyle Teel from the 60-day injured list on Monday and optioned fellow catcher Edgar Quero to Triple-A Charlotte. Teel is expected to make his season debut in the opener of a three-game series against AL Central-leading Cleveland. The 24-year-old Teel strained his right hamstring while playing for Italy in the World Baseball Classic. Then he hurt his right knee while playing for Charlotte on a rehab assignment. Teel, a first-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft, was acquired by Chicago in the Garrett Crochet trade in December 2024. He hit .273 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 78 games last year in his first action with the White Sox. Teel spent four games with the Knights on his second rehab stint, going 8 for 16 with a homer and four RBIs. The White Sox are back at home after going 1-5 on a six-game trip. They were one game back of the Guardians going into the series. Quero has struggled at the plate in his second major league season, batting just .187 with two homers and 15 RBIs in 55 games. He was acquired in a July 2023 trade with the Los Angeles Angels. June 21 The Texas Rangers placed right-handed starting pitcher Jack Leiter on the 15-day injured list Sunday with an ankle issue the right-hander has been battling most of the season, and star shortstop Corey Seager still isn’t ready to return from a concussion. The Rangers recalled right-hander Jose Corniell from Triple-A Round Rock but didn’t say how they would fill Leiter’s spot in the rotation Tuesday at the Miami Marlins. Six of Corniell’s seven minor-league appearances were starts. President of baseball operations Chris Young said Leiter was trying to pitch through what is being called right ankle posterior impingement, but his mechanics were affected by compensating for the injury. Leiter lost all three of his June starts and had a 9.88 ERA, capped by allowing seven hits and six runs in four innings in a 9-3 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. He is 3-7 with a 5.29 ERA in 15 starts this season. “Jack has not made it an issue. That speaks to his level of competitiveness,” Young said. “He’s not made excuses, but the reality is he’s having to change his delivery to compensate for it. We cannot put him in harm’s way. He’s too important to our future.” Young said the 26-year-old Leiter was already dealing with the balky ankle when he aggravated the injury by slipping on an on-deck circle in his fifth start of the season April 22 at home against the New York Yankees. Young said imaging showed the injury was getting worse. “We’ve been trying to monitor it as best we could,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “But the reality is he just wasn’t able to do what he was capable of doing throughout the starts. I think it started showing up more and more. It wasn’t fair to him that we kept sending him out there.” Seager was eligible to return from the seven-day concussion list Friday, but Young said he was still in the protocol. He was participating in meetings and running on the field before the game. Schumaker said the two-time World Series MVP would be on the upcoming 10-game road trip with stops in Miami, Toronto and Cleveland, but couldn’t say when Seager would play. “It’s still day to day,” Schumaker said. “I’m trying to make sure that he feels good after this kind of stimulation and inside the weight room, hitting and then running.” Seager was in the worst slump of his career when he took a few days off in mid-May and ended up with a sore back that extended his absence to 19 games. The five-time All-Star is hitting .186 with nine homers and 24 RBIs. The Associated Press contributed to this report.