MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: April 13, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

MLB Injury Woes Mount Across Leagues

A rash of pitching and position player injuries continued to plague clubs Sunday, as several key arms exited games prematurely, compounding existing roster woes across the majors. Padres RHP Pivetta exited his outing in the fourth inning against Colorado due to reported stiffness in his pitching elbow during the 7-2 victory. Similarly, the Astros starter Bolton departed just two frames into his start against Seattle with mid-back tightness, contributing to a 6-1 defeat. On the National League side, Rockies left-hander Freeland was scratched from his scheduled start after the game commenced due to soreness in his pitching shoulder, while Nationals reliever Waldichuk hurt his arm while throwing a pitch in the seventh inning of an eventual 8-6 win.

Further compounding injury concerns, the Orioles landed Mountcastle on the injured list after confirming the first baseman suffered a fracture in his left foot’s fourth metatarsal bone. In Milwaukee, Brewers star Yelich exited hurt with left hamstring tightness, with the team indicating they are anticipating "bad news" regarding the severity. Meanwhile, Phillies rookie Painter shed a migraine to throw five innings in relief during a narrow 4-3 loss to Arizona, though the club is navigating a high number of ailments, including long-term concerns for starter Eflin eyes 2027 return following Tommy John surgery. Chicago also dealt a blow to its bullpen, placing reliever Harvey on injured list due to inflammation in his right triceps.

Roster Moves & High-Stakes Matchups

As struggling teams seek immediate solutions, the Mets call up Pham to inject energy into a lineup mired in a five-game skid, particularly with Juan Soto sidelined on the injured list. This personnel shuffling comes as the Mets prepare for a highly anticipated series against the Dodgers, a matchup that league analysts are already labeling the most expensive matchup in MLB history, with combined payroll valuations reaching an unprecedented $1.07 billion.

League Mourning & Novelty Awards

The baseball community paused to mourn the passing of former All-Star infielder and manager Phil Garner, who died at age 76 after a decorated career that included guiding the Astros to their inaugural World Series appearance. Separately, in a lighter development, the league is embracing new ways to celebrate personality, as ESPN introduced its inaugural MLB Bat Flip Championship Belt, naming the first recipient of the symbolic honor following the season's initial contests.