MLB 2026 Buzz: Mariners Option SS Colt Emerson To Triple-A Tacoma

Following the Aug. 3 trade deadline, there's still plenty to cover from around Major League Baseball.

Here are the noteworthy transactions, injuries and more from the 2026 MLB season.

Aug. 13

Seattle Mariners rookie shortstop Colt Emerson will be optioned to Triple-A Tacoma before Friday night’s game against the Houston Astros, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the transaction was not official.

Emerson is hitting .190 with eight homers and 23 RBIs in 69 games. The 21-year-old will be replaced on the roster by utilityman Brock Rodden, who was hitting .262 with 19 homers and 65 RBIs in 92 Triple-A games.

Emerson signed a $95 million, eight-year contract on April 1 — the biggest commitment at the time for a player who had yet to appear in the big leagues. In May, he became the youngest Mariners player to make his major league debut since Félix Hernández, who was 19 on Aug. 4, 2005.

The rookie’s struggles at the plate have only intensified recently. In August, Emerson hit .182 with one homer, two RBIs and 14 strikeouts in 33 at-bats.

The Mariners are 57-65 after beating the New York Yankees 1-0 on Thursday to snap a six-game skid. Seattle won the AL West and reached the AL Championship Series last season.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene will be out the rest of this season and possibly 2027 after undergoing Tommy John surgery Thursday to repair a ligament in his right elbow.

The team had announced Friday that Greene would require surgery. He also had Tommy John surgery in 2019 when he was in the minor leagues. The Cincinnati Enquirer first reported Greene's latest surgery.

Greene is 2-2 with a 6.83 ERA in 27 2/3 innings over five starts this season. Greene, whose last appearance was on July 31, told the team's medical staff he experienced soreness during his side session on Aug. 4.

Greene began the season on the 60-day injured list following surgery in March to remove bone chips from his right elbow.

In April 2023, Greene signed a six-year, $53 million contract extension with a $21 million club option in 2029.

Greene had two separate stints on the IL last season with a right groin injury, limiting him to 19 starts. In 2024, he missed six weeks with right elbow soreness. In 2023, there were two stints on the IL with hip pain.

Despite some trade interest in Greene this summer, the Reds chose to retain him, giving them a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation with All-Star right-hander Chase Burns.

The Boston Red Sox placed right-handed reliever Garrett Whitlock on the 15-day injured list Thursday with right elbow inflammation and recalled right-handed pitcher Greg Weissert from Triple-A Worcester.

Whitlock (6-1, 2.05 ERA) has pitched 44 innings over 45 appearances with 49 strikeouts this season. He has made 210 appearances in six seasons with the Red Sox. Whitlock already had an IL stint earlier in 2026, when he missed time from late-May until June 9 with left knee inflammation.

Weissert (3-2, 3.97), a five-year veteran in his third year in the Red Sox organization, has pitched in 48 games for Boston this season. He was sent to Triple-A Worcester less than a week ago, as the Red Sox needed a multi-inning option in the bullpen following a 13-inning game against the White Sox, in which Boston's relievers threw 10 innings.

bFreddie Freeman apparently avoided serious injury Wednesday night when the Los Angeles Dodgers' first baseman took a frightening tumble down the stairs and into the visitors' dugout while trying to catch a foul popup in the eighth inning.

Freeman isn't sure whether he'll play when the Dodgers begin an important four-game series with the NL-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, but he's grateful his freefall to the dugout floor wasn't worse.

"I didn't hit my head, so that was the key part there," Freeman said. "I am sore. Kneecaps are sore. Shoulder is sore. Hand sore. Wrist sore. I mean, I fell. (But) I'm in good spirits."

Freeman stayed in the game and finished the top of the eighth, but Tommy Edman pinch hit for him in the bottom of the inning before Los Angeles closed out a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals, its fourth in five games.

The right side of Freeman's body took the punishment, but the 2024 World Series MVP apparently didn't break any bones. He'll wait to see how he feels on Thursday morning before he decides whether to play at night when the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers welcome Milwaukee in a rematch of last year's National League Championship Series.

"I think that we really dodged a bullet," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said. "Very scary visually. For right now, he's in good spirits, which I think is a good sign. Just kind of total body soreness."

Aug. 12

Phillies' slugger Bryce Harper shifted to right field after the trade deadline to make room for new addition, second baseman Luis Arraez, but is now experiencing knee soreness, per The Athletic.

Harper's left knee was injured on July 11, but the pain had subsided. Since shifting from first base to right field, however, the soreness returned. Harper does not seem overly concerned, however, saying on Tuesday, "I was not feeling it, but the more I’ve ramped it up, I’ve gotten sore. I think the more I play, I think it’ll help me — just getting in condition more. I feel like I’m in spring training again, trying to get through everything. The more I play, the more my body is accustomed to playing the outfield, I think it’ll kind of weasel its way out."

The Phillies are already utilizing Harper at designated hitter on occasion to attempt to mitigate the knee issue as he attempts to acclimate to being the everyday right fielder, which puts regular DH Kyle Schwarber at first base rather than Alec Bohm, who took over the position for Harper after the Arraez acquisition.

Harper is batting .252/.370/.495 with 25 home runs through Tuesday, while the Phillies are in a three-way tie for the final two wild-card spots in the National League, along with the Diamondbacks and Padres.
 

The Nationals announced that they have called up the top lefty pitching prospect in their system, Jackson Kent. The southpaw will debut on Wednesday against the Cubs, and to make room on the roster, Washington designated starting pitcher Miles Mikolas for assignment.

After spending seven years with the Cardinals, Mikolas joined the Nationals as a free agent in February on a $2.25 million deal. The 37-year-old failed to string together quality performances, with 14 of his 25 starts lasting less than five innings, and Mikolas unable to get out of the fourth in eight of those.

Kent, a fourth-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Nationals, began the season with Double-A Harrisburg before earning a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. In 13 starts and 63 ⅔ innings at Triple-A, Kent produced a 4.38 ERA with a 3.1 K/BB and 9.5 strikeouts per nine.

His changeup is his best offering, and at the start of the season he projected as a back-end starter by the end of 2026, per MLB Pipeline, which ranks him as the No. 8 prospect in Washington's system.

The Colorado Rockies placed third baseman Kyle Karros on the seven-day concussion injured list on Wednesday.

Karros was injured in a collision with teammate shortstop Ezequiel Tovar when going to field a ground ball in the sixth inning of Tuesday night’s game, a 3-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Karros, the son of former major league first baseman Eric Karros, is batting .265 with 10 homers and 44 RBIs for Colorado this season.

The Rockies recalled infielder Adael Amador from Triple-A Albuquerque to replace Karros. Amador, 23, was batting .261 with 11 homers for Albuquerque. He has played for Colorado in each of the previous two seasons, batting .176 with a homer in 148 at-bats.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve left the team’s game at the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night after getting hit on the left foot by a pitch.

The Astros called it a bruised foot for Altuve, who manager Joe Espada said was sore. Espada said Altuve had imaging done on the foot that came back negative, adding more is expected Wednesday.

Altuve was hit by an 82-mph slider from Giants starter Carson Whisenhunt in the top of the first. After getting looked at, he stayed in the game to run the bases.

The 36-year-old two-time World Series champion took the field for the bottom of the inning, but left before going back out on defense in the second. He was replaced by Nick Allen.

Altuve is hitting .240 with 13 home runs and 35 RBIs in his 16th season in the majors. Despite losing 4-1, Houston remains in first place in the AL West, a half-game up on Texas.

Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz may be in danger of missing the rest of the season because of his injured right thumb.

Manager Mark Kotsay told reporters before his team’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday that Kurtz needs to be in a brace for four weeks following a platelet-rich plasma injection on Aug. 4. Kotsay alluded to the fact that four weeks without mobility for Kurtz could make a return before the end of September difficult to envision.

Kurtz, 23, went on the injured list with a sprained right thumb on July 11 and returned two weeks later. He struggled at the plate following his return, going 1 for 18 in seven games. Kurtz was expected to see a hand specialist in Los Angeles last week.

The reigning AL rookie of the year is batting .256 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs in his second season in the majors. Kurtz, a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was selected as an All-Star but unable to participate in Philadelphia because of the injury.

Aug. 11

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage is week to week after surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee, manager John Schneider said Tuesday.

Schneider said it’s possible that Yesavage will pitch again this season. Yesavage left his start at the Houston Astros last Tuesday after feeling pain in his knee while warming up for the third inning.

Last October, Yesavage set a Blue Jays postseason record by striking out 11 batters in 5 1/3 no-hit innings against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the American League Division Series.

The 20th overall pick in the 2024 amateur draft, Yesavage is 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 18 starts.

Also, Tuesday, the Blue Jays put right-hander Jameson Taillon on the 15-day injured list because of right forearm tendinitis. Taillon was replaced after four shutout innings in Monday’s 2-1 win over Boston.

Toronto recalled right-hander Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo.

The Miami Marlins placed first baseman/outfielder Kyle Stowers on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a left hamstring strain.

Stowers left with hamstring discomfort in the fifth inning of Miami’s 12-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. He grimaced as he rounded first base after hitting a two-run single and was immediately replaced by pinch runner Leo Jimenez. Manager Clayton McCullough said Stowers would undergo further examination.

The Marlins recalled infielder Graham Pauley from Triple-A Jacksonville to fill Stowers' spot on the active roster as they begin a six-game homestand. Miami begins a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

It's Stowers' second stint on the injured list this year after a right hamstring strain sidelined him the first few weeks of the season.

Stowers had a career-best year in 2025 when he recorded 115 hits, 25 home runs and 73 RBIs in 117 games, earning his first career All-Star nod before a left oblique strain sidelined him for the final stretch of the season. He is hitting .242 with a .789 on-base-plus-slugging mark and 16 home runs.

The fire sale continues for the Los Angeles Angels.

Just a couple of weeks after embarking on being sellers at the MLB trade deadline – trading away ace José Soriano, outfielder Jo Adell, catcher Logan O'Hoppe and relievers Chase Silseth, Ryan Zeferjahn and Brent Suter – the Angels announced they've fired pitching coach Mike Maddux, assistant pitching coach Darryl Scott and bullpen coach Dom Chiti. Tim Leveque has been named interim pitching coach.

"With seven weeks remaining, we plan to use this time to evaluate what additional steps are needed to elevate our entire pitching program and best position us for success moving forward," Angels Baseball Operations Consultant John Mozeliak said in a statement announcing the coaching changes.

The Angels' starting rotation is 26th in MLB in ERA (4.62), while their bullpen is 23rd in said category (4.40).

Tim Leveque was appointed Los Angeles' interim pitching coach, and Michael Wuertz will be the club's interim bullpen coach. Leveque is in his first season as the pitching coach at the Angels' Double-A Rocket City affiliate after working in the Cardinals organization during Mozeliak's lengthy tenure with that club.

The Angels were the fourth MLB team Maddux had been a pitching coach for and marked his fifth stint altogether in the role at the big-league level; he was previously the pitching coach for the Texas Rangers twice, with individual stints with the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals also under his belt.

Kurt Suzuki is in his first season as the team's manager and coaching on a one-year contract.

When the Red Sox acquired All-Star Adley Rutschman at the trade deadline from the Orioles, the big question was when Boston would see its new catcher in the lineup: Rutschman was dealt while on the IL with left wrist inflammation.

That question was answered after Monday's loss to the Blue Jays, however, as interim manager Chad Tracy revealed to assembled media, as reported by MLB, that Rutschman would be activated before Tuesday's game against Toronto.

Rutschman played two games with Boston's Triple-A squad on a rehab assignment before the Red Sox decided to bring him back to the majors. He has been limited to 67 games in the bigs 2026, but has hit .251/.331/.433 in that time with a well above-average OPS+ there – both for the league in general and especially for the position. Rutschman is also an elite defender behind the plate, and has managed to be worth around two wins above replacement in those 67 games.

After a down 2025, Rutschman once again made the All-Star team in 2026, and is expected to be an upgrade on Boston's existing catching production. Carlos Narváez, dealt to Baltimore in the Rutschman swap, hit just .187/.260/.275 for the Red Sox in 62 games, while Boston's catchers as a whole have managed just .222/.307/.323.

Aug. 10

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo left Monday night's game against the Colorado Rockies before the fifth inning because of left knee soreness, but manager Torey Lovullo said he doesn't believe the injury is serious.

Lovullo said Perdomo lunged toward first base in Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Dodgers and woke up with some soreness in his knee on Monday. Once the D-backs built an early 7-0 lead against the Rockies, the manager said it was best to get Perdomo off his feet.

"He's a 50-50 ball tomorrow. We might give him a rest tomorrow or the next day," Lovullo said.

The 26-year-old Perdomo is batting .245 with nine homers, 42 RBIs and 17 stolen bases, all while playing excellent defense at shortstop. The 2023 All-Star has played in 116 of 120 games this season.

Perdomo said he wasn't particularly concerned about the injury and didn't think he would need an MRI on the knee.

"Not yet — right now it's just sore,' Perdomo said. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow."

New Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jameson Taillon exited his first home start in Toronto after four scoreless innings against Boston on Monday night because of right forearm discomfort.

The Blue Jays got Taillon from the Chicago Cubs in a trade on Aug. 2, three days before the right-hander's Toronto debut, when he allowed three runs in four innings at the Houston Astros.

Taillon gave up one hit, struck out three and walked three while throwing 34 of his 61 pitches for strikes against the Boston Red Sox. The game, which Toronto won 2-1, was scoreless when he was seen talking to Blue Jays manager John Schneider and team trainers in the dugout after finishing the fourth inning.

"He said his forearm was a little tight, kind of getting some extension on cutters, sliders," Schneider said after the game. "For a guy with some injury history, hopefully we can be proactive, and I don’t want to take any chances with him."

Schneider said Taillon would get an MRI exam on Tuesday.

"Hoping for the best," the manager said. "He was throwing the ball well, and left some runners out there, and got back in counts and made some good pitches."

Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday because of elbow inflammation.

The move was made before the Rangers opened a road series against the Los Angeles Angels. Rookie right-hander Ben Peoples was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.

Eovaldi (10-9, 4.21 ERA) is the team leader in wins and innings pitched with 132 2/3. The 36-year-old right-hander had been on the active roster all season, though he skipped a scheduled start in May because of left side tightness.

In his most recent outing Friday night, Eovaldi limited the Baltimore Orioles to one run and four hits over 5 1/3 innings before leaving after 86 pitches. The Texas native is 45-25 with a 3.38 ERA in 98 regular-season starts since joining the Rangers in 2023.

Eovaldi was 11-3 with a career-best 1.73 ERA last season, when he also had an IL stint for elbow inflammation before his season ended early because of a rotator cuff strain.

Peoples was 0-1 with a 2.19 ERA in 12 relief appearances with the Rangers from July 2 until being optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday.

Eovaldi's move to the IL comes after the activation of left-handers Cody Bradford and Jordan Montgomery.

San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday for an abdominal strain.

Chapman was seen Monday in Philadelphia by Dr. William C. Meyers, who confirmed the core muscle injury, and the five-time Gold Glove infielder will stay there for the procedure.

"Everything was confirmed with Dr. Meyers and I’m pretty sure they’re going to get that done as quick as possible while he’s up there," manager Tony Vitello said before the series opener against Houston on Monday.

The 33-year-old Chapman, who signed a six-year, $151 million contract in September 2024 that takes him through 2030, batted .235 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs over 84 games this season.

In addition, catcher Daniel Susac had an MRI exam that showed a fracture of the patella in his left knee. He was to be evaluated by team doctors to determine the next steps.

Susac was injured during Sunday’s game against Detroit when he fouled a ball off the knee. The 25-year-old Susac was a Rule 5 Draft pick by the Twins from the Athletics last December then immediately traded to the Giants.

"I’d like to be able to see Sus be able to get back but it’s going to take a little time," Vitello said. "Yesterday was a freak injury. They’re kind of trying to figure out what is the length of this and what will he need to do but for now, he had to get carted n here, he’s hobbled pretty good. At least we kind of know what it is and they’ll kind of assess what the plan is."

The Philadelphia Phillies placed reliever Caleb Kilian on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain prior to Monday’s series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals and recalled right-hander Chase Shugart from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Kilian, a right-hander, was acquired at the trade deadline from San Francisco along with Luis Arraez. He is 4-7 with a 4.91 ERA with both the Phillies and Giants this season. He got the win in his last appearance on Saturday in Toronto, but appeared to suffer the injury on his last pitch.

Phillies interim manager Dan Mattingly said the strain was moderate, but did not give a timeline for a return.

"Obviously a little disappointing for us," Mattingly said. "To lose anybody out of our pen is not great. So disappointing for us. Disappointing for him, I believe too. Guys don’t want to get hurt and not be in there. But we got to move on and the next guy up, kind of type thing, and we’ll go from there."

Kilian had pitched four times in six days since reporting on Tuesday. He is the 10th Phillies reliever to go on the injured list this season.

Shugart is 2-1 with a 4.93 ERA in 33 games this season for the Phillies.

Two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell is expected to make his return from the injured list when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Manager Dave Roberts also said that recently-acquired lefty Tarik Skubal will make his home debut on Monday, also against the Royals.

The 33-year-old Snell has started just one game this season. The left-hander began the season on the injured list with shoulder fatigue, returned for one outing on May 9 against the Atlanta Braves, and then went back on the IL because he needed surgery to remove loose bodies in his elbow.

Snell has missed significant time with injuries over the past three years, making just 32 regular-season starts. But he had a crucial role during the Dodgers' run to a second consecutive World Series title last season, striking out 41 batters over 34 innings with a 3.10 ERA.

Skubal — the two-time defending Cy Young winner in the American League — was dealt to the Dodgers from the Detroit Tigers in a trade deadline blockbuster last week. He made his first start on the road against the Chicago Cubs, giving up two runs over six innings in a 5-1 loss.

The Dodgers began the series with the Royals in first in the NL West, but have gone just 1-7 in August so far.

Aug. 7

We got another big-time call-up to the show.

The Minnesota Twins are promoting infielder Kaelen Culpepper, who's ranked as the team's No. 2 prospect and the No. 29 prospect in MLB altogether by MLB Pipeline, to their big-league roster, according to multiple reports.

Culpepper, whom Minnesota selected with the No. 21 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, has primarily played shortstop (166 starts) across his two years in the Twins' minor-league system, while also making 15 starts at third base and 11 starts at second base.

Culpepper has spent the entire 2026 season in Triple-A St. Paul, totaling 14 home runs, 46 RBIs and 17 stolen bases, while boasting a .271/.367/.478 slash line. He will join a Minnesota club (57-59) that's just a half-game behind the Texas Rangers for the third American League wild-card seed and three games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central.

Aug. 6

Seattle Mariners reliever Gabe Speier was given a three-game suspension Thursday after hitting Detroit’s Gleyber Torres with a pitch in the eighth inning of Wednesday night's game. Speier is appealing the ban, according to the MLB Players Association.

Additionally, Mariners manager Dan Wilson was also suspended one-game and will serve his suspension in the series finale Thursday against the Tigers. Managers cannot appeal a suspension. Manny Acta will serve as the manager for the Mariners.

Speier had relieved Bryan Woo in the eighth inning of Seattle’s 4-2 win. After getting the first two outs, Speier threw two inside fastballs to Torres, with the latter pegging him on the upper left leg on a 96.3 mph pitch.

Torres and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh proceeded to have words with each other before the benches and bullpens cleared. There were no punches thrown, and Wilson was ejected in the aftermath after Speier was tossed from the game. It was the second time this season Wilson was removed from a game.

"It’s always frustrating when your guy’s the guy that gets thrown out," Wilson said Wednesday. "I think, you know, their guy hits somebody and there’s no consequences."

Torres was the fourth Tigers batter plunked after Woo hit three batters for only the second time in his career. Tigers rookie Max Clark took a pitch off his elbow guard leading off the third, Riley Green was hit by a pitch in the fourth, and Zach McKinstry in the fifth — both breaking balls on the back foot. McKinstry got first base only after a replay review showed that the ball grazed the front of his foot.

Raleigh had been plunked as well in the bottom half of the seventh by Detroit left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus with a 95-mph fastball in the bottom of the seventh.

Aug. 5

Hunter Greene has been placed on the 15-day injured list after experiencing soreness in his right elbow. 

The former No. 2 overall pick has battled injury all season, as he started his 2026 campaign on the 60-day injured list following surgery on his elbow. Since he signed with Cincinnati in 2022, Greene has yet to complete more than 26 starts.

Hunter Greene has had a rough start to the season, making five starts and posting a 6.83 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP. Luis Mey will be called up from Triple-A Louisville to fill Greene's absence.

It just didn't work out.

The Pittsburgh Pirates have released veteran designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, per ESPN. Ozuna, a two-time Silver Slugger and three-time All-Star, totaled eight home runs and 29 RBIs through 70 games this season, while posting a .203/.286/.327 slash line. The 35-year-old Ozuna signed a one-year, $12 million deal with the Pirates in February.

Pittsburgh is 57-58 and 3.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third National League wild-card seed.

Dalton Rushing was placed on the IL on Monday by the Dodgers with an elbow injury, but more detail about the nature of the move was revealed on Tuesday postgame by manager Dave Roberts, per ESPN. Rushing has a UCL tear in the elbow of his throwing arm, leaving his status as a catcher for the Dodgers unclear for the rest of the season.

Roberts explained that Rushing won't throw for a few weeks in order to see if the injury can heal enough that he can avoid surgery.

Los Angeles acquired a pair of catchers at the trade deadline, reuniting with Ben Rortvedt and bringing in Hunter Feduccia from the Rays after Tampa Bay picked up Liam Hicks from the Marlins, because in addition to Rushing's injury, the team is still without usual starter Will Smith.

Rushing has moved into that role since early June – Smith has been out with an inflamed disk in his neck since June 5. Rushing has been productive, too, batting .253/.335/.475, though, his power has dipped since a hot start and he is slugging .439 as of becoming the everyday option behind the plate.

With Smith requiring up to a month of prep before he can finish healing and come off the IL, and Rushing's status in question, both Rortvedt and Feduccia will need to step up. The former made his 2026 big-league debut on Tuesday after spending the season to this point in Triple-A and has a career .547 OPS in the majors, while Feduccia hit .234/.306/.340 in 60 games for the Rays this summer.

The Angel has landed.

The Cleveland Guardians are promoting infielder Angel Genao, who's ranked as the team's No. 2 prospect and the No. 39 prospect in the sport altogether by MLB Pipeline, to the big leagues, according to The Athletic. Genao has primarily played shortstop across his six seasons in Cleveland's minor-league system, but he has also made 58 starts at third base and 43 starts at second base.

Across 72 games in Triple A and 24 games in Double A this season, Genao has totaled a combined 13 home runs, 53 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, while boasting a .300/.401/.474 slash line. The 22-year-old infielder joins a Guardians team that's in possession of the third American League wild-card seed at 57-57 and three games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central.

Aug. 4

The Atlanta Braves activated catcher Sean Murphy from the 60-day injured list and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim from the 10-day IL on Tuesday. Neither player was in the starting lineup against the Miami Marlins.

Murphy broke a finger on May 10 in his fourth game of the season. He missed the first month of the year recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. 

The veteran catcher hit .291 at Triple-A Gwinnett during a 15-game rehab stint. He will likely start against left-handers going forward, with Drake Baldwin moving to designated hitter in those games, according to Braves manager Walt Weiss.

Atlanta traded backup catcher Joey Bart to the Chicago White Sox at the deadline Monday, opening a spot for Murphy. 

The Kansas City Royals activated All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. from the injured list on Tuesday after he missed two weeks with back tightness.

"He’s done a great job working to get back, communicating with the medical department and getting himself in a good spot that we feel comfortable," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before Tuesday night’s game against Minnesota. "We’re very happy to have him back."

A three-time All-Star, Witt leads the American League with 30 stolen bases. He is batting .279 with 13 homers and 39 RBIs in 94 games.

Witt was in the lineup against the Twins, but Quatraro said the Royals might manage his workload in the coming days.

"A lot of it is going to depend on the volume of the game," Quatraro said. "We’ll look at game times, and workloads and temperature and all those kinds of things and communicate with him and see how he feels."

The Nationals have placed All-Star outfielder James Wood on the injured list with a mild oblique strain, per Mark Zuckerman. Wood exited during Monday's loss to the Phillies after experiencing discomfort on a swing.

Wood's move comes at a busy time for the Nationals following the trade deadline on Monday, dealing Curtis Mead and Luis García Jr. This loss is especially significant given Wood's production this season, slashing 265/.393/.535 with 30 home runs and 17 steals. Butera described Wood's strain as "subtle" and remains optimistic that his stay on the IL will be brief.  

The Angels have designated outfielder and DH Jorge Soler for assignment, per Rompiendo Sports.

Prior to this decision, it was a tough season for the 13-year veteran. Once a terror for opposing pitchers – he bashed 48 homers for the Royals in 2019 to lead the AL – Soler had been hitting just .203/.291/.373. While Soler contributed 12 home runs in 361 plate appearances, he did little else for the Angels, resulting in sub-replacement-level performance and struck out just under 33% of the time with Los Angeles this summer. It's not a new issue, either: over his last 168 games, dating back to the start of 2025, Soler has a .672 OPS.

The 33-year-old is in the final season of his three-year, $42 million contract he signed with the Giants during spring training in 2024. Since then, he's been traded from the Giants to the Braves and now the Angels, where he's spent the past two seasons. While he can't be dealt after the trade deadline, he and the Angels could part ways, potentially leading him to his seventh team.

The Mets had a busy trade deadline, selling off four relievers to empty out the bullpen – New York dealt dealt Luke Weaver, Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley and A.J. Minters. Now, Jefry Yan has been tabbed to fill some of that space. He will be promoted prior to the Mets' match-up against the Guardians, per Francys Romero.

Yan first signed with the Angels organization in 2014, and pitched for their minor-league team, the Dominican Summer League Angels, for two seasons, before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016. Yan reemerged in the pros in 2021, spending several years in the Marlins organization but never advancing beyond Triple-A. He then pitched in Japan in 2024 before returning to the U.S. with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate in 2025. In all that time, the now 29-year-old never did reach the majors.

He logged a 3.24 ERA this season in the minors, recording 77 strikeouts and a 1.27 WHIP, however, and the Mets have given him the call over a decade after he first made it as a professional pitcher.

The New York Yankees are calling up their top prospect.

Infielder George Lombard Jr., who New York selected with the No. 26 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, has been called up to the big-league club, according to MLB.com. This news comes in the wake of the team announcing that it sent shortstop Anthony Volpe and outfielder Jasson Dominguez to Triple A.

Lombard has appeared in action for three of New York's minor-league affiliates this season (56 games in Triple A, 20 games in Double A and two games on a rehab assignment in Rookie League), totaling a combined 12 home runs, 33 RBIs and 14 stolen bases over 78 combined games, while sporting a .284/.411/.498 slash line. He has primarily played shortstop, though Lombard has also dabbled at second and third base.

Lombard is ranked as the Yankees' No. 1 prospect by MLB Pipeline and the No. 20 prospect in MLB altogether.

Aug. 3

Mickey Moniak can keep raking a mile above sea level.

The Colorado Rockies signed Moniak to a two-year, $16.25 million extension, per MLB.com. Moniak, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, has spent the last two seasons in Colorado (2025-26) and found himself as a hitter.

Coming off a 2025 campaign where he totaled a career-high 24 home runs, 68 RBIs and a .518 slugging percentage, Moniak has logged 18 home runs, 49 RBIs and a 126 OPS+ across 75 games, while boasting a .277/.318/.565 slash line.

Aug. 2

The Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Diego Padres all reportedly remain in the market for rental starting pitchers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline, per MLB Network.

Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize has emerged as one of the top options available. Mize holds a 4-6 record with a 2.70 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 86.2 innings pitched.

All four National League contenders are seeking starting rotation with the postseason within reach. Trade discussions surrounding available starters are expected to move quickly before Monday's deadline.

First baseman Willson Contreras was back in the lineup for the Boston Red Sox against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night after clearing concussion protocol.

Contreras was struck by a fastball on the side of the helmet in the third inning of the Red Sox’s win over the Dodgers on Friday night. He was examined by team medical staff after being hit by Dodgers pitcher Will Klein and leaving the game.

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Contreras passed the remaining steps needed to return to action after being held out of a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

Contreras will bat cleanup in the finale of the three-game set. He is hitting .288 with 23 home runs and 67 RBIs and made his fourth All-Star team this season.

The Atlanta Braves placed right-hander Reynaldo López on the 15-day injured list with left knee inflammation on Sunday.

The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett to start Sunday’s game against the Washington Nationals.

The move with López was expected after he was scratched before Saturday night’s scheduled start against the Nationals. López was warming up in the bullpen when he experienced discomfort in the knee.

Fill-in starter Martín Pérez held Washington hitless until the seventh inning of the Braves’ 8-3 win.

Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 games, including seven starts, with Atlanta.

The loss of López (3-1, 3.79) adds more urgency to the Braves’ expected search for rotation help before Monday’s trade deadline. López threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in Atlanta’s 3-2 win in 10 innings at Baltimore on July 26 in his last start.

López made 11 starts while pitching in relief in 13 games this season. The move to the injured list was made retroactive to Thursday.

Aug. 1

The Seattle Mariners placed outfielder Luke Raley on the 10-day injured list on Saturday due to a left forearm strain.

Raley has been dealing with the forearm strain, which has led to elbow pain. While he tried to play through the pain, Raley's struggles at the plate made it clear he needed a break. The move was retroactive to Friday.

In his past 30 games, Raley hit .173 with one homer, four RBIs and 27 strikeouts.

"He was really trying to grit it out as much as he could, but it gets to a point where it’s difficult, it’s painful, and felt like, you know, he wasn’t helping the team at that point," manager Dan Wilson said. "Tough decisions all around."

The Mariners called up outfielder Stuart Fairchild from Triple-A Tacoma to fill Raley’s roster spot.

Raley is the second key player the Mariners have placed on the IL in the past two days. Shortstop J.P. Crawford was lost Friday with a wrist injury.

July 31

Yennier Cano is going nowhere! 

The Baltimore Orioles have signed the 2023 All-Star to a two-year contract extension with a 2029 club option. Cano gets $7.5MM across both seasons with the club option being worth $10MM. 

In more than 36 innings pitched, Yennier Cano has recorded a 2.21 ERA and 31 strikeouts. In 2023, he was selected as an American League All-Star while also making the Baseball America Major League All-Rookie Team.

The Cubs have recalled left-hander Antoine Kelly to the roster for their weekend campaign against the New York Yankees. 

After Gavin Hollowell was sent to the injured list with shoulder inflammation, Antoine Kelly was added to the roster, getting his first shot at the MLB stage.

Most recently, he has been playing for the Iowa Cubs, a minor league baseball team in the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Across the 2026 minor league season, he has recorded a 4.02 ERA and 44 strikeouts across his 36 games pitched.

July 30

The Minnesota Twins acquired left-handed reliever A.J. Minter from the New York Mets.

In exchange, the Mets received two Twins prospects: third baseman Billy Amick, ranked 21st in Minnesota's system, and infielder Bruin Agbayani, ranked 29th, 

Minter, 32, holds a 2.35 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 23 appearances this season. 

The Baltimore Orioles have acquired Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, also sending minor league pitcher Zane Barnhart over to Detroit. 

Jake Rogers spent six major league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, being valued for his presence in the clubhouse and behind the plate. The 31-year-old has been batting a below-than-average at .161, with three home runs and 9 RBIs.

With Rogers gone, rookie Eduardo Valencia is expected to get a look as the backup catcher behind Dillon Dingler for the Detroit Tigers.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan left Thursday’s game against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning because of back tightness.

McClanahan was pulled from the game two batters into the fourth inning and with the Rays leading 1-0. At the time, the left-hander had yet to allow a hit, but he did hit Ezequiel Duran with a pitch to start the fourth, followed by a walk to Brandon Nimmo.

Following a brief discussion on the mound, McClanahan walked to the dugout accompanied by head athletic trainer Joseph Benge. He was replaced by Casey Legumina.

McClanahan was making his 20th start of the season and entered the game with a 9-6 record and 3.06 ERA. He threw 49 pitches.

The 29-year-old returned to the Tampa Bay rotation this year after missing the previous two-plus seasons because of injury. McClanahan underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2023 that kept him out for the entire 2024 season. Then, in spring training ahead of the 2025 campaign, he dealt with nerve irritation in his left triceps but never returned and eventually underwent surgery in August of last year.

Rangers pitcher Jakob Junis has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a left adductor strain, a significant blow to the Texas Bullpen.

The Rangers were already looking to add bullpen help before the August 3 trade deadline, and Junis' injury only increases that need. They most recently signed Chase Silseth from the Angels. Righty reliever Winston Santos was recalled from Triple-A to take Junis' place on the roster.

Across 40 innings pitched, Junis recorded a 2.70 ERA with 30 strikeouts and a solid 1.07 WHIP. 

The future is now.

The Detroit Tigers are calling up outfielder Max Clark from Triple-A Toledo, according to Baseball America. Detroit selected Clark, who's ranked as the team's No. 1 prospect and the No. 13 overall prospect in the sport by MLB Pipeline, with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Through 90 games in Triple A this season, Clark has totaled 11 home runs, 42 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, while sporting a .276/.368/.434 slash line. He has exclusively played center field throughout his four seasons in the Tigers' system.