Pavin Smith To Undergo Elbow Surgery
Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his injured left elbow, reports the team’s radio broadcaster Chris Garagiola. The team already transferred Smith to the 60-day injured list this afternoon when they needed a 40-man roster spot for third catcher Aramis Garcia.
That IL move ruled Smith out through the end of May. It’s unclear if he’ll be ready to return at that point. The initial diagnosis had merely been inflammation. Smith’s elbow had been a nagging issue throughout Spring Training. He had a cortisone shot when he went on the injured list at the end of March, but that apparently wasn’t enough to treat the issue.
Tyler Locklear is also recovering from offseason surgeries on his elbow and shoulder. That pressed Carlos Santana into everyday first base work, for which he’s ill suited in his age-40 season. Santana himself went down with an adductor strain a little over a week ago.
Utility infielder Ildemaro Vargas has been pressed into the primary job at a position he’d barely played in his career. To his credit, Vargas has begun the season on an absolute tear, but he’s a lifetime .253/.294/.365 hitter in more than 1300 plate appearances. This clearly isn’t an ideal setup. Luken Baker and rookie Jose Fernandez are also in the mix, though the D-Backs have needed Fernandez for primary DH work.
Although the position player injuries are piling up, the Snakes did provide some promising news on the health front this week. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Amarillo tomorrow, the minor league team announced. Position players can spend up to 20 days on a rehab stint. Barring setbacks, Gurriel will be back with the MLB club within the next two to three weeks.
It’s a quick turnaround for a player who tore the ACL in his right knee in September. That required surgery and initially came with a 9-10 month recovery timeline that seemed it’d sideline him until close to the All-Star Break. Gurriel instead looks like he’ll be back around the end of April. The D-Backs figure to mix in a decent amount of DH time in addition to his work in left field. They can use help at both positions considering Jordan Lawlar will be out into June with a broken wrist. Tim Tawa and Jorge Barrosa are splitting the left field reps for the time being.
Martín Pérez Elects Free Agency
Veteran left-hander Martín Pérez elected free agency, relays Chad Bishop of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. He cleared outright waivers after being designated for assignment by the Braves on Sunday.
Pérez made three appearances in an Atlanta uniform. He got decent results, allowing just five runs across 14 1/3 innings. The 35-year-old southpaw only struck out six of the 53 batters he faced with a well below-average 7.2% swinging strike percentage. The Braves opted not to continue running him out as their fifth starter. They’re carrying a nine-man bullpen for the time being — a luxury partially afforded by a day off on Thursday — but will need a fifth starter or bullpen game early next week.
Spencer Strider is set to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday. He’ll make at least three minor league appearances. The Braves could recall Didier Fuentes or turn to José Suarez to lead a bullpen game in the Pérez spot.
It’s possible the Braves look to bring Pérez back on a minor league deal. They don’t have much in the way of upper minors rotation experience. If Pérez is unable to find a big league contract as a free agent, he could be best served returning to an organization with which he’s already familiar.
Padres Place Nick Pivetta On Injured List
The Padres placed starter Nick Pivetta on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 13, with elbow inflammation. Reliever Alek Jacob is up from Triple-A El Paso to take the open spot on the pitching staff.
Pivetta left Sunday’s win over Colorado after three perfect innings due to elbow stiffness. Manager Craig Stammen told reporters (including Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune) that the team is awaiting imaging results. That’ll eventually shed some light on his injury and a recovery timeline.
For now, Pivetta joins Joe Musgrove and Griffin Canning on the injured list. Musgrove has yet to throw from a mound. Canning is on a rehab assignment but will probably need close to the full 30 days in his return from last season’s Achilles tear.
Matt Waldron also began the season on the injured list, but he’s likely to return this week. The out-of-options knuckleballer will replace Pivetta in the starting five, Stammen said (relayed by AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). Michael King will go tonight, with Randy Vásquez and Walker Buehler theoretically on schedule for the next two days. Germán Márquez would be on track for Friday’s series opener against the Angels. Pivetta’s spot would come back around on Saturday. The Padres could keep Waldron on the injured list until then if they want an extra reliever in the interim.
Pivetta’s health is the big picture concern. He’s coming off a sixth place finish in NL Cy Young balloting. That earned him the Opening Day nod this season. Pivetta has recorded 24 strikeouts over his first 16 innings, allowing a 4.50 earned run average. In addition to his evident importance to the San Diego staff, he’s one of the better potential free agent pitchers in next winter’s class. Pivetta can opt out of the remaining two years and $32MM on his contract, which would be an easy call if he’s healthy.
Blue Jays Re-Sign Austin Voth To Minor League Deal
The Blue Jays brought right-hander Austin Voth back on a minor league deal, according to the MLB.com transaction tracker. He’d elected free agency last week after being designated for assignment. Voth returns to Triple-A Buffalo a few days later.
Toronto also re-signed lefty Josh Fleming on a non-roster contract over the weekend. Both pitchers were called into spot duty as the Jays battle various rotation injuries. Voth had only started one Triple-A game before the MLB club needed him for a long relief outing. He worked 2 2/3 innings of one-run ball against the White Sox on April 5 and was designated for assignment the next day as the Jays cycled through fresh arms.
That was Voth’s first major league appearance since 2024. The 33-year-old spent last season in Japan as a member of the Chiba Lotte Marines. Voth started 22 games and turned in a 3.96 ERA across 125 innings during his lone NPB campaign. His most recent extended big league work was solid, as he provided the 2024 Mariners with 61 frames of 3.69 ERA ball in low-leverage relief.
Voth mixed six pitches in his lone MLB appearance for the Blue Jays. He sat around 91 mph with his four-seam fastball and sinker while leaning most heavily on his cutter.
D-Backs Move Brandon Pfaadt To Bullpen
The Diamondbacks are moving Brandon Pfaadt to the bullpen, relays José M. Romero of The Arizona Republic. Merrill Kelly will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start tomorrow’s game in Baltimore.
This was the expectation. Zac Gallen, Eduardo Rodriguez and Ryne Nelson are locked into the rotation. Manager Torey Lovullo said last week that the Snakes were not considering a six-man group. Entering the season, the plan was probably for Michael Soroka to slide to long relief once Kelly was ready to go.
However, Soroka has looked very sharp in his first three starts as a Diamondback. The righty has struck out 23 of 67 batters faced (34.3%) while allowing just five runs through 15 2/3 frames. He has completed at least five innings in all three appearances, all of which the D-Backs have won.
Pfaadt has had a much shakier start to the season. The righty has allowed 12 runs (11 earned) over 16 2/3 innings. He has punched out 11 while walking six batters and surrendering three home runs. If Pfaadt were coming off a strong 2025 season, the Diamondbacks probably would have given him a longer leash. He struggled to a 5.25 earned run average with a modest 19.2% strikeout rate a season ago. Pfaadt pounds the strike zone but has battled home run issues throughout his three-plus years in the big leagues.
The Diamondbacks could have optioned him to keep him stretched out as a starter. Their Triple-A affiliate in Reno plays in an exceedingly hitter-friendly environment, so that may not have been a great setting to get him on track.
Arizona could also use any help they can get in one of the league’s weakest bullpens. Their relief corps entered play Monday with a 4.50 ERA that ranked 21st in MLB. That doesn’t include tonight’s disastrous performance. The trio of Taylor Rashi (who was immediately optioned after the game), Jonathan Loáisiga, and Andrew Hoffmann gave up seven runs and an inherited runner across 2 2/3 innings in relief of Nelson. They squandered a 7-1 lead and dropped the series opener against the Orioles by a 9-7 score.
Pfaadt could immediately draw some high-leverage assignments. The D-Backs will presumably give him another rotation opportunity at some point. He’s in the first season of the five-year, $45MM extension he signed on the eve of the 2025 season. A short-term bullpen stint might allow him to simplify his arsenal. Pfaadt has thrown six pitches at least 10% of the time, including a marked uptick in his curveball use compared to last season.
Kelly made one rehab start for Reno and pitched a game at extended spring training on Thursday. That was evidently all the ramp-up he needed from his season-opening injured list stint. Kelly was diagnosed with intercostal nerve irritation early in Spring Training. He was able to pitch by the end of camp but needed a couple extra weeks to build his arm. The injury robbed Kelly of what would have been his first career Opening Day start but didn’t wind up being all that significant overall, especially with Soroka stepping up to seize the open rotation spot.
White Sox Weighing Promotion For Sam Antonacci
The White Sox will call up at least one of their top prospects for Tuesday’s series opener against the Rays. Noah Schultz will start the game against Shane McClanahan in a promotion that will officially be announced tomorrow morning.
Does Chicago have another promotion looming for a highly-regarded young player? Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic and Mitchell Armentrout of The Chicago Sun-Times each write that the Sox front office is weighing whether to promote utility player Sam Antonacci. Noah Phelan of Southside Showdown reported on Saturday that Antonacci would be promoted alongside Schultz for the opener with Tampa Bay. The reports from The Athletic and Sun-Times suggest that the team has not made a final decision but that a promotion might be imminent.
It’s probably not a coincidence that the Sox traded infielder Lenyn Sosa to the Blue Jays this afternoon. Sosa led the team with 22 home runs a season ago, yet his defensive shortcomings and .293 on-base percentage made him a limited player. Chase Meidroth and Munetaka Murakami are playing almost every day on the right side of the infield. Sosa is out of options and had been in a bench role without much multi-positional versatility.
The Sox need to bring up a position player to replace Sosa on the active roster (while also dropping a pitcher from the 26-man to accommodate the Schultz promotion). Sosa’s 40-man roster spot will go to the 6’10” southpaw. Calling up Antonacci would require a second 40-man move. Drew Thorpe and Prelander Berroa each underwent Tommy John surgery early in 2025 and are candidates to move to the 60-day injured list.
The 23-year-old Antonacci is out to a quick start to the season with Triple-A Charlotte. He has reached base 30 times in 13 games, tallying 13 hits while drawing 15 walks and getting plunked twice. Antonacci’s polished plate discipline and hit tool have been his calling card as a prospect. The left-handed batter posted a .291/.433/.409 line while stealing 48 bases between High-A and Double-A last year.
Antonacci, whom Baseball America ranked the #9 prospect in the Sox’s system over the winter, has played mostly second or third base over his minor league career. That hasn’t been the case in 2026. He has started two games at second and 10 in left field, his first career outfield work. He’s not viewed as a great defender anywhere but could rotate between second base, left field and designated hitter. Meidroth hits right-handed, as do bench pieces Derek Hill and Tanner Murray.
Angels Outright Jeimer Candelario
The Angels announced that Jeimer Candelario was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake after being designated for assignment on Saturday. The team didn’t specify whether the veteran infielder will accept the assignment or elect free agency.
Candelario may prefer to stick in the organization rather than pursue what would surely be a minor league opportunity elsewhere. The 32-year-old broke camp with the Halos as a non-roster invitee. He appeared in seven regular season games, going 2-18 while striking out eight times. Candelario had slugged four home runs during Spring Training but fanned 19 times in 59 exhibition plate appearances.
The switch-hitter hasn’t been able to find his footing since signing a three-year free agent deal with Cincinnati over the 2023-24 offseason. Candelario was coming off a .251/.336/.471 showing and had been a well above-average hitter in three of the preceding four years. He owns a .204/.263/.389 batting line in 574 plate appearances over the past two-plus seasons.
Candelario played through knee discomfort during the 2024 season. He spent time on the injured list with a broken toe and a lumbar spine strain over the past two years. He couldn’t get on track after being released by the Reds, hitting .203/.289/.357 over 61 Triple-A games in the Yankees system to close the ’25 campaign.
The Halos are looking for consistent production out of second and third base. Adam Frazier, Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom are all rotating through the keystone. Peraza also offers a glove-first alternative to the struggling Yoán Moncada at the hot corner.
Guardians Designate Kolby Allard For Assignment
The Guardians announced today that outfielder George Valera and right-hander Hunter Gaddis have each been reinstated from the injured list. In corresponding moves, outfielder/first baseman CJ Kayfus has been optioned to Triple-A Columbus and left-hander Kolby Allard has been designated for assignment. The Allard DFA drops their 40-man roster tally to 39.
Allard’s out-of-options status has squeezed him off the roster a few times. Last year, Cleveland ran him through outright waivers in early July, only to re-sign him five days later. He finished the season with the big league club and was waived again at season’s end. Allard returned on an offseason minor league deal and was called back up within the first week.
The southpaw was a valuable long relief piece for skipper Stephen Vogt last season. Allard managed 65 innings of 2.63 ERA ball despite sitting around 90 mph with his fastball and running one of the league’s lowest strikeout rates. He has tossed 8 2/3 frames over four low-leverage relief appearances this year. Allard has surrendered 10 runs on 16 hits, including a five-run outing over three frames in yesterday’s blowout loss at the hands of the Braves.
Cleveland will very likely place Allard back on waivers this week. There’s a decent chance he clears again, at which point he’d have the right to elect free agency. The Guardians like him as a depth arm given the number of times they’ve brought him back, so they’d presumably have interest in re-signing him to a minor league deal.
Gaddis returns from a minor forearm issue that bothered him early in Spring Training. He has quietly been one of the better relievers in MLB over the past two seasons. If he’s fully healthy, he projects as one of Cleveland’s top two setup arms (along with Shawn Armstrong) in front of Cade Smith. Gaddis’ fastball velocity was down a couple ticks to a 92.8 mph average during a five-game rehab assignment with Columbus. They might try to ease him back into action in medium-leverage situations in the early going.
Valera is also back from a season-opening IL stay. The 25-year-old corner outfielder suffered a mild calf strain late in camp. Valera hit well over eight games on a rehab stint. He’ll join Steven Kwan, Chase DeLauter, Angel Martínez and utilityman Daniel Schneemann in a lefty-heavy outfield. His return pushes Kayfus back to Triple-A after a .182/.280/.364 start over his first nine games.
Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Anthony Franco
- Good afternoon, hope all is well!
- Let's get another of these rolling
Jimmy Wynn
- What, if anything, can the Astros do pitching-wise to salvage their season?
The Biggest Loser
- Thank you for the chat. Early of course, but which losing streak concerns you the most? Yankees (5), Mets (5), Brewers (5) or Astros (7)
Anthony Franco
- Astros most alarming just because it's paired with the all the pitching injuries. Clearest on-paper fit for Giolito at this point
- It's tight with the CBT, which is the obvious hangup. But we've got them about $7M below the line right now and I have a tough time seeing him get that much at this point
- Limits their flexibility for deadline trades but that doesn't matter much if the pitching in April is so bad that it tanks their season anyway
Mason Miller trade
- The A’s trade of Mason Miller is not looking good. They thought they were going to be a few years away from Contending but here they are tied for 1st Place. Factor in Mason was making essentially Minimum Wage and I need to be walked back from the ledge ……
Anthony Franco
- Leo De Vries is one of the top 5-10 prospects in MLB
- Obviously the A's were aware that Miller's unbelievable. They wouldn't have done it if the Padres didn't offer them a potential franchise shortstop
Debuts
- Thoughts on White Sox promoting P Noah Schultz ... is this a one off , replacing Shane Smith's spot in the rotation? Since he isnt being promoted until after the 16th day of the season and that delays his service time by a year
Anthony Franco
- Don't see what the point would be in calling up your top pitching prospect, especially one who wasn't already on the 40-man, for a spot start
- Might need to option him midway through the season for workload management but he should get at least a few turns through the rotation. Jonathan Cannon
- Jonathan Cannon's not exactly an obstacle
Josh
- More likely: best record in AL at season’s end is 95 wins or less, or the Dodgers win 105+ games
Anthony Franco
- Hmm I'll say the AL one because the Dodgers tend to take their foot off the gas in the regular season to keep pitchers fresh for October
- 105 is plausible but I'd be closer to 100
The Doctor
- If Boston is in the playoff hunt at the deadline should they move Duran to address other needs?
-
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Twins Place Royce Lewis, Cody Laweryson On Injured List
TODAY: The Twins officially announced the IL placements, with Laweryson retroactive to April 9 and Lewis to April 10. Kreidler and right-hander Andrew Morris were called up to take Lewis and Laweryson’s places on the active roster, and the 24-year-old Morris will be making his big league debut whenever he appears in his first game for Minnesota.
Morris was a fourth-round pick for the Twins in the 2022 draft, and he has a 3.78 ERA, 21.45% strikeout rate, and 7.27% walk rate over 135 2/3 innings at Triple-A. Morris started 28 of his 30 Triple-A appearances, though the scouting reports at both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America view Morris perhaps more as a swingman or multi-inning at the Major League level. Pipeline and BA each rank Morris as the 13th-best prospect in Minnesota’s system, and he has a five-pitch arsenal highlighted by a 55-grade slider and a fastball that can reach 99mph but usually sits in the 95-96mph range.
APRIL 10: The Twins will make a couple roster moves before tomorrow’s game at Rogers Centre. Manager Derek Shelton said tonight (relayed by Twins TV’s Audra Martin) that third baseman Royce Lewis and reliever Cody Laweryson are each headed to the injured list. Lewis has a left knee sprain, while Laweryson suffered a right forearm strain. Shelton didn’t specify return timelines for either player.
Lewis suffered his injury during Thursday’s win over Detroit. He came up limping after a swinging strike in his final at-bat of that game. Lewis was able to gut out the plate appearance and hit an infield single. He finished the contest but felt more discomfort today. Bobby Nightengale of The Minnesota Star-Tribune writes that Lewis went for imaging this evening that revealed the sprain.
This will be the ninth injured list stint of Lewis’ four-year MLB career. He has twice torn the ACL in his right knee, once before his big league debut, and battled various left leg injuries. That included a pair of hamstring strains last year. Lewis narrowly topped 100 games for the first time in his career.
The former first overall pick had been out to a nice start. Although he’s only hitting .222, he has taken eight walks and collected four extra-base hits (two doubles and homers apiece). Lewis was at the hot corner for 12 of Minnesota’s first 14 games. Utilityman Tristan Gray has gotten the other two starts and projects as the regular there for the time being. Gray has a homer and a double in the early going but is a .220/.279/.394 hitter over 53 career contests.
Laweryson made his first Opening Day roster this year. The 27-year-old righty made five appearances last season as a September call-up. He has worked 6 1/3 frames of four-run ball (three earned) with eight strikeouts in five outings this year. Laweryson has a save and a hold as part of a wide open Minnesota bullpen.
Minnesota will announce their corresponding call-ups tomorrow. Ryan Kreidler and Eric Wagaman are on the 40-man roster as depth infielders. Kreidler offers more defensive value and is hitting better in Triple-A to begin the season. Zak Kent, who was optioned earlier in the week, seems likeliest to take the bullpen spot if the Twins don’t want to designate anyone for assignment.