MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: April 20, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

ALARM BELLS IN THE ALLEY: PITCHING INJURIES MOUNT

The rash of pitching injuries continued across the league over the past few days, forcing several clubs to make immediate roster adjustments. Boston starter Sonny Gray exited Monday's game against the Tigers in the third inning clutching his right hamstring, compounding the Red Sox's early-season woes. The Phillies are facing a potentially longer absence, as closer Jhoan Duran landed on the 15-day IL due to a strained left oblique, while the Giants confirmed that veteran reliever Jose Butto will require five to six months of recovery following arm surgery performed Friday. Adding to the bullpen woes, the Cubs placed closer Daniel Palencia on the 15-day IL with a left oblique strain, and starter Cade Horton underwent his second Tommy John procedure.

Further impacting rotation and bullpen depth, the Mets placed struggling designated hitter Jorge Polanco on the 10-day IL with a right wrist contusion, and Miami lost third baseman Graham Pauley to oblique discomfort Friday night. Meanwhile, the Astros confirmed Sunday that outfielder Joey Loperfido was placed on the 10-day IL with a right quad strain. Conversely, the Diamondbacks received positive reinforcement as outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was activated less than eight months after tearing his right ACL.

FIELDING THE WAIVER WIRE & TEAM MOVEMENT

As teams manage mounting physical setbacks, fantasy managers are advised to look toward the Twins and Astros for immediate pitching reinforcements available on the waiver wire this week who to consider claiming. While many clubs manage injuries, speculation swirls around potential trade candidates; an analysis suggests specific major league stars and prospects who could be moved by August, including "if-all-goes-wrong" candidates for all 30 rosters who could be on the block. On the acquisition side, the Dodgers placed star first baseman Freddie Freeman on the paternity list Sunday while recalling longtime prospect Ryan Ward. In Seattle, the Mariners reinstated infielder/outfielder Rob Refsnyder from the paternity list Friday but sent outfielder Patrick Wisdom to the 10-day injured list.

WEATHER, DRAMA, AND PERSONAL MILESTONES

Weather proved a significant factor in the Northeast, forcing the Red Sox to push back Sunday's start time by three hours due to forecasted rain, leading to a 4-1 loss to the Tigers the previous day. Extreme conditions also greeted the Dodgers and Rockies in Denver, where a mid-April storm blanketed Coors Field with three inches of snow to start their four-game set. Off-field drama was defused in Kansas City after catcher Salvador Perez's social media post caused friction; manager Matt Quatraro confirmed Sunday that Perez and he had cleared the air following Quatraro's ejection in the first inning Saturday for arguing with umpires against the Yankees Quatraro ejected for arguing. In positive personal news, Guardians catcher Austin Hedges celebrated an on-field engagement immediately following Sunday's victory.

FENWAY FACEOFF AND PLAYER RETURNS

The highly anticipated matchup between the Yankees and Red Sox featured intense underlying tension, as Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler revealed that both he and his family had received threats ahead of his scheduled Fenway Park debut Schlittler expressed excitement. On the offensive side, Yankees infielder Ryan McMahon demonstrated immediate impact after a long wait Friday; after spending most of the game in the batting cage, he was summoned as a late defensive replacement and immediately delivered the go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning to secure a 4-2 victory. Furthermore, the Marlins planned to activate outfielder Kyle Stowers on Sunday for his season debut after he recovered from a hamstring strain.