MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: June 26, 2026, 8:31 PM ET

MLB Management & Player News

The New York Mets fired manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday, marking the end of a tumultuous tenure that saw the club compile a historically poor 34-47 record. General Manager David Stearns now faces scrutiny regarding the team's direction and potential trade deadline decisions as the Mets continue their disappointing season. Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs are acquiring left-hander David Peterson from the Mets, a move intended to bolster their pitching depth amidst a series of injuries. Cubs President Jed Hoyer cited the urgent need for healthy arms as the primary driver behind the acquisition.

Player Injuries & Suspensions

Injuries continue to plague several clubs as the season progresses. The Boston Red Sox placed infielder Marcelo Mayer on the 10-day injured list with a left forearm ailment. In a similar situation, the Pittsburgh Pirates put first baseman Spencer Horwitz on the 10-day IL due to a left hamstring strain, an injury that forced him to exit early from Wednesday's game against Seattle as reported by the Pirates. The Texas Rangers activated shortstop Corey Seager from the concussion list Thursday, but immediately placed Cody Freeman on the 10-day IL with a herniated disk. The Diamondbacks, however, welcomed back outfielder Max Kepler on Thursday, who was activated from the restricted list following an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test as per the D-backs' announcement.

Team Transactions & Roster Moves

Beyond the Peterson trade, other roster adjustments have been made across the league. The Minnesota Twins have no plans to trade veteran All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton, according to the team's general manager. In St. Louis, Bill DeWitt III was elevated to chief executive officer of the Cardinals, moving up from his previous role as team president. The Yankees made a move to address their infield depth, placing Ryan McMahon on the 10-day IL with a throat infection and recalling Oswaldo Cabrera from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre according to the Yankees' press release. The Cubs also experienced pitching setbacks, with Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera both landing on the 15-day injured list. Edward Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday night after injuring his left leg while stretching for a throw at first base against the Mets as documented by the Cubs.

Pitching Performances & Concerns

The Tampa Bay Rays were on the verge of a combined no-hitter against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, but the bid was broken up in the ninth inning when Carter Jensen hit a two-run homer off Craig Kimbrel. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani secured a win on the mound Wednesday, rebounding after a rough second inning where he and catcher Dalton Rushing experienced a miscommunication on a pitch. Meanwhile, concerns are mounting for the Minnesota Twins' Mick Abel, who has been recommended for arthroscopic elbow surgery after a recent setback in his recovery as confirmed by the Twins. Cole Ragans of the Kansas City Royals is also likely to undergo surgery to address a left elbow impingement that has sidelined him since early May according to manager Matt Quatraro.

Player Health & Performance Issues

Several other players have dealt with health issues impacting their availability. Athletics infielder Zack Gelof exited Tuesday night's game in the second inning with a significant hand injury after being stepped on by the Giants' Matt Chapman during an awkward tag play as detailed by the Athletics. Mets outfielder Juan Soto left Tuesday night's game against the Cubs after four innings with back tightness, adding to the team's struggles as observed during the game. Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber was scratched from Tuesday night's lineup with lower back tightness, and Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams was a late scratch due to left side tightness according to team reports. In a less severe situation, Brewers reliever Abner Uribe plans to serve his one-game suspension this week, nearly a month after the penalty was issued as per the Brewers' schedule.

League-Wide Discussions & Future Events

Discussions continue regarding the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association. The MLBPA has proposed a ban on prop betting on individual players to help mitigate harassment from gamblers, according to a union source who spoke to ESPN regarding the proposal. On the contract front, MLB is seeking a maximum of 5 years for free agents who switch teams in the next CBA, while organizations would retain the ability to re-sign their own players for longer terms as outlined in league proposals. MLB announced that Philadelphia will host the 2026 All-Star Weekend, with events scheduled to take place on July 14.

Fantasy & Underrated Talent

Fantasy baseball managers may be looking at future projections for players like Caglianone hitting 40 homers, while Eric Karabell also notes the potential of the Contreras brothers. In a separate analysis, Tristan H. Cockcroft identifies a quartet of criminally underrated players who are currently being overlooked and could be valuable additions to fantasy rosters.

Midseason Observations & Trends

As the 2026 MLB season reaches its official midway point with teams playing their 81st games, the MLB Power Rankings have seen some adjustments, with a new team debuting in the top. A notable trend this season is the success of left-handed hitters, with MLB's automated ball-strike challenge system potentially contributing to this surge in performance as analyzed by ESPN's Tim Kurkjian. Cubs manager Craig Counsell expressed some frustration with consecutive rainouts in New York, calling the second postponement a perplexing occurrence. In a notable offensive performance, Cubs' Dansby Swanson boosted his RBI total to 15 in a series against the Mets, breaking a franchise record previously held by Ron Santo.