MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: May 13, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Injury Woes Plague Contenders & Roster Moves

The injury bug continued to bite Major League Baseball's top clubs, with the Mets losing catcher Francisco Alvarez to a meniscus tear requiring surgery, projected to sideline him for six to eight weeks, dampening their recent blowout win Alvarez's knee injury. Adding to New York's woes, superstar Juan Soto exited Wednesday's game after fouling a ball off his foot, though X-rays fortunately revealed no structural damage. Meanwhile, the Braves placed Sean Murphy on the IL with a fractured left middle finger, potentially sidelining their star catcher for up to eight weeks, prompting the Mets' president to acknowledge the front office must re-examine player evaluation after several free-agent signings ended up injured.

Pitching staffs across the league faced setbacks, as Yankees ace Max Fried was pulled from his start after only three innings due to elbow soreness, requiring further testing, while the Marlins immediately placed rookie Robby Snelling on the 15-day IL after he suffered a UCL sprain in his left elbow immediately following his major league debut. The injury carousel kept spinning in San Diego, where the Blue Jays designated LHP Eric Lauer for assignment while placing Addison Barger on the IL due to right elbow inflammation Barger (elbow) to IL, and the Athletics saw shortstop Jacob Wilson land on the 10-day IL with a dislocated left shoulder SS Wilson on IL.

Slumps, Comebacks, and Front Office Activity

The Dodgers saw Mookie Betts return from a five-week absence hoping to ignite a sluggish offense, though the team still lost, while Shohei Ohtani managed to snap his 11-game homerless drought—his longest as a Dodger—during that same contest Ohtani break slump with HR; the team had previously given Ohtani time off hoping he could reset his swing. In contrast to the slumps, Seattle's Cal Raleigh finally broke through, recording his first hit since April 27, ending the longest hitless streak in the majors this season with a seventh-inning knock. Elsewhere, the Cubs moved to bolster their bullpen depth by agreeing to a minor league deal with veteran reliever Liam Hendriks, offering him a path back to the majors.

The rebuilding efforts continued as the Guardians acquired an elite defensive catcher from the Giants in a surprising May trade, prompting analysis on which side of the swap fared better, while the Dodgers simultaneously acquired outfielder Alek Thomas from the Diamondbacks for an outfield prospect. On the player movement front, Anthony Volpe returned to the Yankees roster from the minor leagues, while the Brewers activated Christian Yelich Yelich returns to Brewers after he missed a full month nursing an adductor strain. Furthermore, former player Jason Heyward rejoined the Dodgers less than two months after retiring, accepting a role as a special assistant in baseball operations.

Pitching Showcases & Labor Negotiations

Pirates ace Paul Skenes delivered another dominant performance Tuesday night, though his no-hit bid ended in the seventh inning via a clean single by Mickey Moniak, while the Yankees were simultaneously frustrated as Ryan Weathers lost his own no-hitter before the Yankees ultimately fell to the Orioles Weathers loses no-no. Bullpen volatility remains a league-wide issue, with experts examining which closers are currently on the rise and who fantasy managers should prioritize Closer stock watch, especially given the general scarcity of reliable closers across the league closer struggles will impact. Off the field, high-ranking officials from MLB and the Players Association held their first formal collective bargaining talks this week, with industry observers predicting that issues like the potential for a salary cap will dominate discussions Will there be a lockout? ahead of the current agreement's expiration next year.

Miscellaneous League Happenings

In Texas, Rangers starter Nathan Eovaldi threw an encouraging bullpen session Wednesday after being scratched two days prior due to left side tightness, though teammate Brandon Nimmo remained day-to-day after spraining his left ankle Nimmo day-to-day. The Orioles welcomed back pitchers Trevor Rogers and Tyler Wells for Tuesday's game against the Yankees, with Rogers returning from an illness and Wells rejoining the club from Triple-A Rogers, Wells return, while the Pirates placed backstop Joey Bart on the IL with a foot infection and recalled Endy Rodriguez Pirates place Bart on IL. Finally, the Royals-White Sox game at Rate Field experienced a brief delay Wednesday after a fan fell into the Kansas City bullpen area in right field.