MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: May 13, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

ALARM BELLS IN THE AL: INJURY WOES MOUNT

The American League East continues to be ravaged by injuries, with the Yankees suffering a major blow as ace Max Fried exited Wednesday's start against the Orioles after only three innings due to soreness in his pitching elbow, prompting immediate testing. This pitching scare follows a difficult night for New York on Tuesday, where Ryan Weathers lost his no-hit bid before the Yankees ultimately fell 3-2 to Baltimore in their fourth consecutive defeat, exacerbating pressure on the Bronx club. Adding to the personnel shuffling, the Yankees recalled shortstop Anthony Volpe from the minors on Tuesday while placing José Caballero on the injured list pending further evaluation of his sore right middle finger, creating immediate defensive uncertainty following recent finger soreness.

Across the league, the injury contagion continues to spread, most painfully in Queens where the last-place Mets saw catcher Francisco Alvarez placed on the injured list Wednesday with a meniscus tear in his right knee, which followed an initial report of a right knee injury sustained during Tuesday’s 10-2 victory. Mets management, including president David Stearns, is acknowledging the need to reassess player evaluation processes after numerous free-agent acquisitions have landed on the shelf this season, a sentiment amplified by the call-up of No. 2 prospect A.J. Ewing to try and spark the sputtering offense amid ongoing struggles. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves confirmed an eight-week absence for catcher Sean Murphy, who landed on the IL with a fractured left middle finger, though the team remains potent offensively, driven by veteran Matt Olson and reigning Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin powering the league's best attack.

DODGERS SEE GLIMMERS AMID SLUMPING STARS & TRADING ACTIVITY

The Los Angeles Dodgers received a positive sign when superstar Shohei Ohtani broke an 11-game homerless drought—his longest stretch without a home run as a Dodger—during a game where he also drew a walk, despite the team ultimately losing and Ohtani being robbed of another hit. This slight offensive awakening comes after the team had provided Ohtani extra time off, hoping a mental and physical reset would shake him out of what was shaping up to be one of his worst hitting slumps during the preceding days. In personnel moves designed to bolster the roster, the Dodgers finalized a trade acquiring outfielder Alek Thomas from the Diamondbacks in exchange for an outfield prospect just days after Mookie Betts returned to the lineup after a five-week stint on the injured list, indicating a push to maximize their window before the trade deadline.

CBA TALKS AND SEASONAL BENCHMARKS

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association officially commenced collective bargaining talks this week, meeting to discuss critical issues that will dominate conversations less than seven months before the expiration of the current agreement. The initial meeting focused on several key areas expected to shape the future of player contracts and league operations as detailed in the ongoing discussions. Elsewhere in the league, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes watched his no-hit bid against the Rockies end in the seventh inning on Tuesday night following a clean single off the bat of Mickey Moniak, though the team still managed to place catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day IL with a foot infection later that evening. Furthermore, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh managed to snap his season-long hitless streak in the seventh inning, finally recording a hit after going hitless for the longest run in the majors this season, his last base hit coming on April 27.

FANTASY FRONTIER: CLOSERS AND WAIVER CLAIMS

The volatility currently gripping MLB bullpens means that closers with established track records are increasingly scarce, raising questions about how this trend will affect late-inning stability for even the top contenders around the league. Fantasy managers are advised to monitor the current landscape closely, as certain relief pitchers are experiencing a sharp rise in stock, while others who were previously reliable options may be losing their grip on the ninth inning a situation Eric Karabell assessed. On the offensive side, teams like the Brewers are seeing immediate returns from veterans, as Christian Yelich was activated off the injured list after missing a full month due to an adductor strain, potentially providing a boost for those looking for late-season waiver wire pickups like Waldschmidt and Snelling who are currently trending upward.

ODDS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS ACROSS THE JUNIOR CIRCUIT

The early season performance of preseason prospects has created a bizarre structure in the American League standings, leading to analyses questioning why many of the top 20 highly-touted players are lagging behind expectations in their current output. This general sense of strangeness is reflected in the Junior Circuit's standings, which analysts are currently attempting to decipher given the unusual distribution of wins and losses. While the Dodgers lead the futures market for the 2026 World Series, the struggling Mets languish near the bottom of those long-term projections, a stark contrast to the team's current on-field distress.