MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: April 7, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

American League Injury Woes Mount

The rash of soft-tissue injuries continued across the American League Tuesday, with both the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox placing key players on the 10-day injured list. Cleveland designated infielder Gabriel Arias for the IL due to a strained left hamstring, promoting Juan Brito for his major league debut, while the White Sox sidelined outfielder Austin Hays with a similar right hamstring strain. These moves compound existing pitching concerns, as Rangers ace Jacob de Grom admitted his five-inning, 78-pitch outing was limited by a 'tender' right knee following Monday's victory over the Mariners. Furthermore, in an unrelated setback for an AL contender, Blue Jays veteran Max Scherzer exited Monday's loss against the Dodgers after just three innings due to right forearm tendinitis, further straining Toronto's rotation depth.

Frustration & Milestones in the AL Central

In Cleveland, Jose Ramirez set a franchise benchmark by appearing in his 1,620th game, providing a bright spot amidst the team's injury woes, though the overall mood remains tense following reported threats from a rival catcher. Chicago White Sox catcher Willson Contreras issued a stern warning to the Milwaukee Brewers after being plunked for the 24th time by the club Monday, stating plainly, "Next time they hit me again, I'm going to take one of them out." Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays celebrated their long-awaited return to Tropicana Field, securing a victory over the Cubs in their first home game in 561 days following extensive damage caused by Hurricane Milton to the stadium infrastructure. Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh also broke through offensively, ending his 10-game drought by hitting his first home run of the season, a welcome sight after he led the majors with 60 homers last year.

NL Struggles and Off-Field Matters

National League clubs are also grappling with roster attrition, as the Chicago Cubs placed starting pitcher Matthew Boyd on the 15-day IL with a left biceps strain, continuing a difficult run for their rotation. The New York Mets experienced similar misfortune, sending outfielder Juan Soto to the IL with a minor right calf strain sustained running the bases last Friday, with projections indicating he will miss two to three weeks. In organizational news, the Mets announced plans to honor franchise legend Carlos Beltrán, scheduling the retirement of his No. 15 jersey for September 19 before the game against the Phillies, when he will also be formally inducted into the team's hall of fame. Separately, the ongoing systemic issues plaguing baseball development in the Caribbean were brought into sharp focus after a teenager’s tragic death served as the latest symptom of a failing development structure, prompting renewed calls for an international draft to reform scouting practices.