Category: MLB

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals placed starter Trevor Williams on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain Friday, two days after the veteran right-hander gave up a season-high seven runs in an 11-2 loss to Detroit.

Williams is 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts this season and is tied for second in the National League in losses. He agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal after going 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA last year despite being limited to 13 starts because of strained muscle in his throwing arm.

Washington recalled right-hander Ryan Loutos from Triple-A Rochester, a day after demoting him. Loutos is 1-0 with a 13.50 ERA in eight games with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Nationals this season.

The Nationals also activated catcher Keibert Ruiz from the injured list and optioned catcher Drew Millas to Rochester. Ruiz had been sidelined with a concussion after getting hit by a foul ball on June 23. Millas hit .143 with an RBI in three games.

Hello and welcome to the 15th installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.

I'll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.

Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:

We still aren’t sure what’s going to happen with the Guardians next week as Luis L. Ortiz has been placed on the restricted list while the league is investigating gambling allegations. Joey Cantillo made a spot start in his place on Friday and pitched well, meaning that he could stick around to take the ball twice next week. He would draw a tough matchup against the Astros in Houston to start the week before finishing things up with softer matchup against the White Sox in Chicago to finish it out. If you’re hunting for cheap wins in deeper formats, he may be worth a look.

We’re still waiting on some clarity regarding what the Brewers plan to do with their rotation now that they’re incorporating Brandon Woodruff back in on Sunday. They may go with a six-man rotation for the final week of the first half just to give everyone an extra day of rest and re-evaluate things heading into the break. If that’s the case, no one would start twice. If they choose to bump Jose Quintana, Chad Patrick or Jacob Misiorowski, then Freddy Peralta would take the ball twice – vs. the Dodgers and vs. the Nationals. There’s no decision to be made though, as the Brewers’ ace should be locked into fantasy lineups each week regardless.

Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of July 7.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, July 4, and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Hunter Brown, Astros, RHP (vs. Guardians, vs. Rangers)

Brown has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball over the first half of the season, putting together a magnificent 1.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and a 126/29 K/BB ratio over 104 innings in his first 17 starts. The proud alumni of Lakeview High School, Brown is a lock to make his first American League All-Star squad. He gets to close out the first half with two strong matchups at home, meaning that he should be able to notch his 10^th victory of the season while continuing to deliver the minuscule ratios and huge strikeout totals that fantasy managers have become accustomed to. Brown may be the top overall play on the board this week.

Jacob deGrom, Rangers, RHP (@ Angels, @ Astros)

It has been heartwarming to see the resurgence of Jacob deGrom this season. Fantasy managers balked at the idea that deGrom could avoid the injured list and remain elite while intentionally pitching at a slightly diminished velocity. Well, the veteran right-hander has proven all of the skeptics wrong thus far, going 9-2 with an elite 2.13 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and a 100/21 K/BB ratio across 101 1/3 innings. He’s an obvious start in every league, every week for as long as he’s healthy enough to take the ball. Fantasy mangers should continue to reap the rewards this week.

Logan Gilbert, Mariners, RHP (@ Yankees, @ Tigers)

When Gilbert has been able to take the mound this season, he has been the ace that fantasy managers expected him to be – posting a 3.40 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a 74/11 K/BB ratio over just 50 1/3 innings in his first 10 starts. Whenever he’s active, he should be locked into lineups without question. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy this week. He wraps up the first half with a pair of brutal matchups, having to take on the Yankees in New York before finishing up with the Tigers in Detroit. The strikeouts and WHIP should still be there, but his chances of landing in the win column will be diminished due to the matchups. He should still be started in every league.

Jack Flaherty, Tigers, RHP (vs. Rays, vs. Mariners)

Another week, and another time that a scheduled double for Jack Flaherty got pushed back – this time due to a rain out against the Nationals on Tuesday. He continues to struggle with the long ball, leading to an elevated 4.84 ERA on the season, though his 1.24 WHIP and 109/37 K/BB ratio over 89 1/3 innings are still solid. He gets the benefit of making each of these two starts at home in the spacious confines of Comerica Park and I’d be shocked if he didn’t earn at least one more victory heading into the All-Star break. The strikeouts will be there regardless, making him an easy start in all leagues.

Noah Cameron, Royals, LHP (vs. Pirates, vs. Mets)

The 25-year-old southpaw has experienced some growing pains after his terrific start to the season, going 0-3 with a 4.74 ERA over 24 2/4 innings in his last five starts. To be fair though, the damage done against him came primarily from the Dodgers and the Yankees. The matchups this week are much more enticing, especially the home tilt against the Pirates to kick off the week. Don’t let the recent struggles sway you, Cameron makes for a strong option in all fantasy leagues for the upcoming week.

Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers, RHP (@ Angels, @ Astros)

The Rangers have been easing Eovaldi back into action since returning from the injured list, pitching just a total of 10 innings over his first three starts. They should let him go a bit deeper this time around after throwing five innings and 72 pitches his last time out, just don’t expect him to return to workhorse status until after the All-Star break. There’s no denying that Eovaldi has been elite this season when he has been able to take the hill and there’s no reason that fantasy managers should shy away from him this week, even with a tough matchup against the Astros in Houston to close out the first half.

Jose Soriano, Angels, RHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Diamondbacks)

Soriano has had an absolutely wild run over his last five starts. He has four absolute gems against strong opponents during that stretch – a 12-strikeout masterpiece against the A’s, seven shutout innings against the Yankees in New York, 10 strikeouts in a victory over the Astros and seven scoreless with seven K’s in a win over the Braves in Atlanta. He also has a clunker in the weak matchup, giving up eight runs over four innings against the Nationals. We’re going to ride the hot hand as he has shown he can dominate in any matchup, and hope that he can continue to pile up the strikeouts while limiting the ratio damage. Fire up Soriano in all leagues this week.

Ryan Pepiot, Rays, RHP (@ Tigers, @ Red Sox)

Pepiot has done a great job through his first 18 starts for the Rays this season, compiling a 3.34 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 101/33 K/BB ratio over 102 1/3 innings of work. He rarely delivers disaster starts, which is good since the matchups this week are both extremely difficult. His chances of earning a victory are lower than they would be on most weeks, but Pepiot still makes for a fine option in leagues of all sizes for the upcoming week.

José Berríos, Blue Jays, RHP (@ White Sox, @ Athletics)

Overall, the 31-year-old right-hander has done a nice job for the Blue Jays this season, posting a 3.64 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 92/37 K/BB ratio across 106 1/3 innings of work in his first 18 starts. Somehow that has only led to four victories though. He should change that this week with a pair of strong matchups on tap – though pitching against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park isn’t the most ideal of circumstances. The strikeouts will be there for sure, especially with the added volume of a two-start week, and the chances of earning a win are elevated by the matchups. That makes Berríos a strong option this week.

Decent Plays

Jeffrey Springs, Athletics, LHP (vs. Braves, vs. Blue Jays)

The 32-year-old southpaw has really turned his season around after a rough start, registering a 3.26 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 52/21 K/BB ratio over 69 innings dating back to May 1. He does have one disaster during that stretch though – giving up six runs on six hits over two innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Taking them on in a smaller ballpark to wrap up the first half doesn’t seem ideal, but is it enough to move off of Springs for the week? That’s up to fantasy managers to decide. I’d still use him in 15 teamers and may do so in 12’s as well depending on my alternatives.

Richard Fitts, Red Sox, RHP (vs. Rockies, vs. Rays)

Fitts had a lot of steam late in fantasy draft season as someone who could be a nice late-round value. His overall numbers in the Red Sox’ rotation look fine on the surface – a 4.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 22/9 K/BB ratio over 28 innings – it’s just the workload limitations that have been concerning. Fitts needed 83 pitches to labor through four innings against the Angels in Los Angeles two starts ago, then was limited to three innings due to rain his last time out. The matchup against the Rockies is enticing if you’re hunting for victories and he’s unlikely to hurt your ratios. I’d be fine using him in all formats this week.

Sean Burke, White Sox, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Guardians)

Burke has done a decent job in the White Sox’ rotation this season, compiling a 4.03 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 73/38 K/BB ratio across 87 innings of work. That overall line has been dragged down also by one disastrous outing against the Astros in early May. He’s not going to win many games pitching for the White Sox, and the WHIP isn’t going to fall in the area that fantasy managers should be looking for, but Burke should be able to get you 10+ strikeouts on the week, which may be enough to call his name in 15 team leagues. I’d hope that you have better options in 12 teamers.

Tanner Bibee, Guardians, RHP (@ Astros, @ White Sox)

It’s a mixed bag in terms of matchups for Bibee this week, first having to battle the vaunted Astros’ offense in Houston before finishing up the first half with a strong matchup against the White Sox in Chicago. Despite his decent overall line on the season, Bibee sits at just 4-9 through his first 17 starts due to the limited run support that the Guardians have been providing him. Let’s hope they can scratch out a couple of runs against the White Sox on Saturday so he can finish the first half on a high note.

Yusei Kikuchi, Angels, LHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Diamondbacks)

Kikuchi has been a bit of an enigma for fantasy managers this season. He sports an outstanding 2.81 ERA and 106/46 K/BB ratio over 102 1/3 innings through his first 18 starts with the Halos, but that comes with a troublesome 1.37 WHIP and just three victories. He gets a mixed bag in terms of matchups to finish out the first half, getting the attackable Rangers at home to start the week before wrapping up with a tough battle against the Diamondbacks. He should continue to be started in most fantasy leagues due to the strikeouts and the solid ERA, just hope that he starts to see some run support and a correction in the wins column.

Will Warren, Yankees, RHP (vs. Mariners, vs. Cubs)

Warren’s overall line on the season took a massive step backwards last week as he was throttled for eight runs on 10 hits over four innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Hopefully it was just a blip in the radar as he had been fantastic otherwise in the month of June. He wraps up the first half with two starts at home and he should be able to pile up double-digit strikeouts once again for fantasy managers. The ratio risk is higher than we’d like, but the punchouts and the shot at earning a victory more than outweigh the risks in my opinion. I’d be using Warren in both 15 and 12 team formats.

Shane Baz, Rays, RHP (@ Tigers, @ Red Sox)

Baz has some of the best pure stuff in all of baseball, yet for some reason it just hasn’t translated to consistent success at the big league level. He’ll show flashes of brilliance only to make mistakes over the heart of the plate that leave fantasy managers tearing their hair out. Look for the strikeout totals to be there this week, but this is a brutal draw overall for a two-step having to take on the Tigers and Red Sox both on the road. You should keep rolling with him in 15 teamers if you have him, in leagues shallower than that it would depend on your alternative options.

At Your Own Risk

Brandon Young, Orioles, RHP (vs. Mets, vs. Marlins)

With the injury to Zach Eflin, it looks like Young will stick around in the Orioles’ rotation for another week at least, giving him a pair of starts to wrap up the first half of the season. Don’t let the intriguing matchup against the Marlins to finish it out sucker you in though. Young has been terrible in four starts for the O’s this season, going 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and a 15/11 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings. If your ratios are damaged beyond repair already and you want to add on some strikeouts, by all means take a shot. Otherwise, Young should be avoided here.

Aaron Civale, White Sox, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Guardians)

I just can’t bring myself to recommend Aaron Civale pitching for the White Sox, even if the matchups don’t look terrible on paper. In four starts with the Pale Hose he’s 0-3 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and a 14/11 K/BB ratio over 21 innings. If taking on ratio risk with my streaming two-start options, I’m at least looking for upside in wins or strikeouts, preferably both. Civale offers neither. I’d stay away unless I was absolutely desperate to get a live body in there for the final week of the first half.

Simeon Woods Richardson, Twins, RHP (vs. Cubs, vs. Pirates)

The Twins’ rotation has been absolutely decimated by injuries this season, meaning as long as Woods Richardson remains healthy, he’ll continue to take the ball every fifth day. The 24-year-old hurler has produced a middling 4.41 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 55/24 K/BB ratio over 63 1/3 innings on the season, and you should expect more of the same over his two starts heading into the break. It’s possible that the Cubs knock him around pretty good in that first start, though it’s also possible that he should shine and earn a victory against the Pirates in his second outing. It all depends on your risk tolerance.

National League

Strong Plays

Paul Skenes, Pirates, RHP (@ Royals, @ Twins)

The probable starter for the National League in the All-Star game, Skenes will wrap up a brilliant fist half with a pair of road matchups against struggling teams from the American League Central. Skenes can always be counted on for elite strikeout totals and strong ratios, but his chances of earning victories is definitely elevated this week based on his opponent. It’s possible that he gets limited in that second start, or that the Pirates mix in a spot starter during the week, just to set Skenes up to start in the All-Star Game, but that’s not a reason to shy away from him here. He’s the best pitcher in the National League and should be started in 100% of leagues every week for the remainder of time.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers, RHP (@ Brewers, @ Giants)

Yamamoto has been a rock in what has otherwise been a tumultuous rotation for the Dodgers in the first half of the regular season. He’s going to make his first National League All-Star squad after registering an outstanding 2.51 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 109/32 K/BB ratio across 96 2/3 innings. He should be an automatic start in all fantasy leagues every week, so there’s no decision to be made here. Set it and forget and enjoy the production that he’s going to continue to provide.

Grant Holmes, Braves, RHP (@ Athletics, @ Cardinals)

Holmes has been a man on a mission over the past two months, putting together a stellar 3.04 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and an 87/28 K/BB ratio across 68 innings. He has punched out nine or more batters five times during that stretch, including three times in his last five starts. Look for that strikeout artistry to continue this week with a pair of matchups that have been attackable for right-handed pitchers. It should be all systems go for Holmes this week.

Shota Imanaga, Cubs, LHP (@ Twins, @ Yankees)

Imanaga has been a revelation for the Cubs through his first 10 starts this season, posting a scintillating 2.78 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 41/15 K/BB ratio across his 55 innings of work. He should be an automatic start in every league, every week, without question. The fact that he’s lined up to start twice in the final week before the All-Star break is simply a bonus. We don’t love the matchup against the Yankees in the Bronx, but we trust Imanaga to limit the damage there and put his team –and his fantasy managers – in the best position to win.

Christopher Sánchez, Phillies, LHP (@ Giants, @ Padres)

Sánchez has been terrific in 17 starts for the Phillies this season, going 8-3 with a minuscule 2.68 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 108/28 K/BB ratio over 100 2/3 innings. He should be a set it and forget it option every week for fantasy managers, meaning his two-start week should just be considered a bonus with extra strikeouts. The matchup against the Padres is a bit tricky, but at least it’s in San Diego. Start Sánchez with complete confidence in all leagues once again this week.

Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Padres, @ Angels)

Kelly has been a model of consistency for the Diamondbacks and for fantasy managers this season, registering a 3.55 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 103/29 K/BB ratio over 104 innings. The first matchup isn’t great, but pitching at Petco Park actually helps the cause. He then gets to finish the first half on a high note taking on the Angels in Los Angeles. Kelly should be started in all leagues for the final week heading into the break.

Brady Singer, Reds, RHP (vs. Marlins, vs. Rockies)

Singer isn’t one who usually jumps to the top of the list as a strong option for his two-start weeks, but matchups against the Marlins and Rockies will elevate any pitcher’s status. Through his first 17 starts for the Reds he has gone 7-6 with a middling 4.36 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and an 80/38 K/BB ratio over 88 2/3 innings. The strikeouts should be there in spades this week against the free-swinging Rockies and the suddenly red-hot Marlins. He should be a favorite in both starts against Janson Junk and Chase Dollander, making his chances of securing at least one victory quite high. Singer is an easy start in leagues of all sizes.

Nick Martinez, Reds, RHP (vs. Marlins, vs. Rockies)

If rotation-mate Brady Singer lands in the strong options section with these strong matchups this week, then certainly Martinez has to as well. While he has shown some inconsistency on the season, Martinez has always been one to protect ratios and he owns a terrific 1.17 WHIP over 100 2/3 innings on the season. The only drawback to Martinez usually is his low strikeout rate, but with the volume of two starts combined with the excellent matchups, he should have no problems delivering there this week. He should be started in all leagues where he’s rostered and actively targeted in shallow formats where he may still be available.

Eury Pérez, Marlins, RHP (@ Reds, @ Orioles)

Maybe it’s a stretch to include Pérez as a strong option given the middling matchups and tough ballpark assignments this week, but I was blown away by what I saw from the 22-year-old right-hander in Thursday’s dominant victory over the Twins, striking out seven batters while allowing just one hit over six shutout innings. He’s going to have some bad starts mixed in as he continues to work his way back from major surgery, but the upside here is unparalleled and we have seen what types of results he’s able to produce. I’d most certainly have him active for this two-start week heading into the break.

Clay Holmes, Mets, RHP (@ Orioles, @ Royals)

Holmes is another pitcher that was lined up for two starts this past week but had things pushed back after rain wreaked havoc on the Midwest and the east coast. He has been outstanding in his move to the rotation this season – posting a 2.99 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 76/39 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings. He should be locked into weekly lineups, especially when he pitches twice and neither matchup is particularly worrisome.

Nick Pivetta, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Phillies)

Pivetta has blossomed into an every week starter for fantasy purposes, going 9-2 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 107/24 K/BB ratio over 97 innings through his first 17 starts with the Padres. The matchups are both tough this week, but making both starts at Petco Park will help to offset that risk. It’s certainly not enough to consider benching Pivetta in any format.

Decent Plays

Dylan Cease, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Phillies)

The only thing that Cease has been good for this season is strikeouts, with 121 punchouts in 97 1/3 innings. Those K’s have come with an unappealing 4.62 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and just three victories through his first 18 starts though. Don’t expect much to change this week as Cease gets two difficult matchups to finish up the first half of the season. The strikeouts should be there, which is enough to use him in deeper formats, but the ratios aren’t likely to improve this week and further damage could be on the horizon.

Landen Roupp, Giants, RHP (vs. Phillies, vs. Dodgers)

Decent seems to sum up Roupp’s season in a nutshell thus far, registering a 3.48 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 78/38 K/BB ratio across 85 1/3 innings in his first 17 starts. He has been fine to use as a streaming option in good matchups, what makes this week tricky is that both matchups are against some of the best teams in all of baseball. It helps that both starts will be at home – which in theory should add some win equity and limit his risk of a disaster start – but the WHIP should still land in a troublesome area. He’s fine to use in 15 teamers, but I may try to look elsewhere in 12’s if I had viable alternatives.

Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Padres, @ Angels)

I’m not sure what exactly to make of Brandon Pfaadt right now. The overall line on the season isn’t pretty – with a 5.42 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and an 80/23 K/BB ratio across 91 1/3 innings. He appears to be figuring some things out lately though, at least in terms of his strikeout rate. Pfaadt has whiffed seven or more batters in each of his last three starts – though he has given up eight runs over 16 innings during that stretch as well. I think he can get you double digit strikeouts on the week and a decent shot at a victory, which is enough for me to use him in 15 teamers for sure. I’d probably be fine rolling the dice in 12’s as well unless I had a plethora of better options.

Janson Junk, Marlins, RHP (@ Reds, @ Orioles)

Junk has pitched well in two of his three starts since joining the Marlins’ rotation, with the lone clunker coming against the Giants in San Francisco. He gets a couple of middling opponents in hitter’s parks this week, which isn’t great for his overall outlook. The Marlins have been red-hot though, elevating his chances of earning a victory in at least one of these starts. He’s a perfectly fine option to use in 15 teamers this week and I don’t even hate the idea in 12 teamers if I’m looking to mitigate ratio risk while still offering some upside.

At Your Own Risk

Austin Gomber, Rockies, LHP (@ Red Sox, @ Reds)

Let’s see if anyone wants to get Gomber’d in the final week of the first half. The 31-year-old southpaw holds a dreadful 5.49 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 19 2/3 innings through his first four starts on the season while recording a total of just six strikeouts. Six. He does get to pitch away from Coors Field twice, which helps to mitigate the damage somewhat, though Fenway Park and Great American Ballpark aren’t much better. Bad ratios, no strikeouts and minimal shot at earning a victory. There’s literally no reason that any fantasy manager should be looking his way this week. None.

Andre Pallante, Cardinals, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Braves)

Pallante continues to do just enough to hold off Michael McGreevy for his spot in the Cardinals’ starting rotation. Every time he’s one disaster away from getting bumped he seems to step up and throw a gem to buy himself some more time. I’m not trusting him for a pair of starts against the Nationals and Braves to finish out the first half, as his poor strikeout rate and middling ratios just don’t do it for me. He’s fine as a filler if you need one final pitcher to round out your lineup, but the upside is minimal.

Trevor Williams, Nationals, RHP (@ Cardinals, @ Brewers)

Never Trevor Williams. It’s as simple as that. He’s not going to help your ratios and he isn’t going to record enough strikeouts to be worth the risk that he could potentially sneak out a victory if things happen to fall his way. There are always better options than Trevor Williams. Don’t do this to yourself. Stay away.

NEW YORK — Already running low on pitching, the New York Mets added starter Paul Blackburn and reliever Dedniel Núñez to a crowded injured list Thursday in their latest flurry of roster moves.

Núñez has a right elbow sprain and could require Tommy John surgery for the second time in his career. Blackburn was given medication for a right shoulder impingement and won’t throw for three to five days.

“Hopefully that calms the discomfort there a little bit and we’ll get him going, so that’s relatively good news,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “As far as the rotation goes — one day at a time. Got to get through today and see where we’re at for tomorrow and then for the weekend.”

Blackburn (0-3, 7.71 ERA) had been lined up to pitch in the Subway Series this weekend against the New York Yankees at Citi Field. Now, the Mets are undecided for Friday and Sunday — with Frankie Montas scheduled Saturday to make his third start this season since returning from a lat strain.

“I think every option is on the table and we’re discussing all of them,” Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said. “We’re going to evaluate everything. We’ll get through it. I do think we have options to get through this, and this is more of a short-term need than a longer-term need.”

Five of New York’s top eight starting pitchers are on the injured list, though left-hander Sean Manaea and right-hander Kodai Senga appear to be on the mend.

Stearns said he’d prefer not to call up one of the team’s highest-rated prospects, such as Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean, for a spot start.

“I also understand this is a unique circumstance and I can’t take anything off the table right now,” Stearns said. “But my preference would be to figure out a way to do it without doing that.”

Manaea (oblique, elbow) and Senga (right hamstring strain) are both nearing a return, though neither is quite ready to rejoin the tattered rotation. Mendoza said it’s possible one or both could come off the injured list during the last weekend before the All-Star break, July 12-13 in Kansas City.

They are among 12 Mets pitchers on the IL, including fellow starters Tylor Megill (elbow sprain) and Griffin Canning, who is out for the season after rupturing his left Achilles tendon last week.

With the pitching staff ravaged recently following a terrific start, New York had lost 14 of 18 heading into Thursday night’s game against Milwaukee.

“We feel good about where Senga is in his process. We feel good about where Sean is, getting back. And so, clearly this weekend we’ve got some decisions to make. Then we have an off day and we get into next week and it becomes a little cleaner,” Stearns said.

Senga threw a bullpen Wednesday and was running and going through fielding practice Thursday. The goal is for him to make a rehab start for Double-A Binghamton on Saturday or Sunday, according to Mendoza.

Manaea has been sidelined since spring training with a right oblique strain, and his most recent rehab outing was pushed back because of elbow discomfort attributed to a bone chip. But he received a cortisone shot and threw 60 pitches over three innings Wednesday evening for Binghamton against Hartford.

Assuming he feels good, Manaea is expected to make one more minor league start next Tuesday and then perhaps pitch for the Mets on July 13 at Kansas City in the final game before the All-Star break.

“It is a possibility,” Mendoza said. “Ideally, yes. But again, we’re going to take it one day at a time, one outing at a time.”

New York recalled right-handers Austin Warren and Justin Hagenman from Triple-A Syracuse, and selected the contract of right-hander Rico Garcia. All three were in the bullpen for Thursday night’s series finale versus the Brewers.

Right-hander Blade Tidwell was optioned to Syracuse after throwing 4 1/3 innings in relief Wednesday night to earn his first major league victory in the second game of a split doubleheader.

Blackburn was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Monday.

With the bullpen taxed so heavily lately, the Mets put him back on the mound following an 89-minute rain delay Saturday in Pittsburgh — and Mendoza acknowledged he thinks that led to the pitcher’s injury.

When the game resumed, Blackburn gave up five consecutive singles to start the bottom of the second inning before he was removed.

“Obviously, we knew we were asking a lot. But the whole time we were asking feedback from him. He kept throwing, and we knew and he knew that we were only going to ask him for another 35 pitches, right?” Mendoza said.

“But yeah, I think it has something to do with it. You hate to see it, but it’s where we were at at the time. And again, the back and forth with him, with the trainers, and we just felt like even though it was an hour and a half — you know, it wasn’t an easy decision. And here we are now.”

Núñez (0-0, 4.66 ERA) also landed on the 15-day IL as the Mets wait for multiple doctors to review imaging before a plan for the right-hander is determined.

TORONTO — New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge drew his 23rd intentional walk of the season in the eighth inning Thursday night against Toronto, matching Mickey Mantle’s 1957 team record.

Baseball began tracking intentional walks in 1955.

Judge matched Albert Pujols (2010) as the only player to receive 23 free passes before the All-Star break.

Toronto led 6-5 when former Yankee Chad Green intentionally walked Judge with two outs and the bases empty. It was Judge’s fifth intentional walk of the series, the most ever by a Yankee in a single series.

Judge has 91 career intentional walks.

ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves don’t want to hear they are running out of time to prove they can still compete for a playoff spot.

Continued offensive woes are making a case Atlanta could be sellers instead of buyers at the trade deadline.

Atlanta came within two outs of its second shutout loss in losing two of three games to the Los Angeles Angels. The Braves dodged what would have been their fourth shutout loss in their last seven games when Jurickson Profar hit a ninth-inning homer, but it was far too little to save the listless offense Thursday night in a 5-1 loss to the Angels.

The Braves were shut out by the Angels 4-0 on Tuesday night in the series opener.

The Braves (39-47) are fourth place in the NL East.

Manager Brian Snitker hoped the return of Profar from an 80-game drug suspension would spark the struggling offense, and Profar hit homers in back-to-back games. That wasn’t enough to save Atlanta from its first home series loss to the Angels since 2005.

“So hopefully that will be an added thing for us,” Snitker said of Profar’s return as the starting left fielder and No. 5 hitter. “If we get some guys going around him.”

The Braves were limited to three hits, all singles, in seven innings by Angels right-hander José Soriano, who didn’t allow a baserunner to reach second base. Matt Olson had one of the hits, a first-inning single to right field that extended his streak of reaching base safely to 33 games.

While Olson has boosted his batting average from .234 on May 27 to .267, others continue to struggle. Michael Harris is hitting .215 and Ozzie Albies is at .224 after each was held without a hit.

Those struggles add to speculation it may be time for the Braves to shake up the lineup at the trade deadline.

“Nobody wants to hear that,” Olson said. “We’re in here competing every day. We still have playoffs on our mind and I understand there’s going to be some outside noise when you have a record like we do but we still feel like we’ve got a good unit in here. We’re just not playing as well as we want to.”

The Braves also are burdened by a depleted rotation.

Bryce Elder (2-6) gave up four runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings for his third consecutive loss. The Braves trailed 3-0 after two innings.

“That’s on me,” Elder said.

“It’s tough to get the offense on a roll when you’re always coming from behind.”

Elder’s poor outing came one day after right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach landed on the 15-day injured list with a fractured right elbow on Wednesday. The rotation previously lost Chris Sale (broken rib), AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Reynaldo López (shoulder surgery) to injuries.

NEW YORK — Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt was placed on the 15-day injured list because of right forearm soreness on Friday, one day after his start at Toronto was cut short following three innings.

A 29-year-old right-hander, Schmidt was set to have an MRI on Friday.

New York also recalled right-hander Scott Effross and left-hander Jayvien Sandridge from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Right-hander Clayton Beeter had been optioned to the RailRiders after replacing Schmidt on Thursday night and taking the loss in the 8-5 defeat as the Yankees were swept in a four-game series and dropped out of the AL East lead.

Schmidt allowed three runs, four hits that included George Springer’s two-run homer and two walks. He said he’s been dealing with soreness in his arm since his June 4 outing against Cleveland.

“Earlier on in the game it felt OK,” Schmidt said. “As the game progressed it sort of tightened up a little bit on me. I felt like the whole night I was kind of guarding it a little bit on the breaking balls, really not ripping them or trying to get a lot behind them.”

Schmidt, who had Tommy John surgery in May 2017, is 4-4 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 starts. He left a June 21 start against Baltimore after throwing a career-high 103 pitches in seven hitless innings, part of a streak of 28 1/3 scoreless innings.

“Any time you’re getting an MRI on your forearm, or whatever the body part is, you’re not feeling happy about it,” Schmidt said. “I’m praying everything is going to be clean and minor. We’ll see what happens.”

Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz is the subject of a Major League Baseball gambling investigation and was placed on non-disciplinary leave Thursday, two people with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press.

The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the nature of the investigation.

The investigation is related to in-game prop bets on two pitches thrown by Ortiz that received higher activity than usual during his starts at Seattle on June 15 and his recent outing against St. Louis on June 27. The gambling activity on the pitches was flagged by a betting-integrity firm and forwarded to MLB.

ESPN reported the firm IC360 recently also sent an alert to sportsbook operators regarding Ortiz.

The Athletic was the first to report that Ortiz's suspension was related to gambling.

MLB said Ortiz's paid leave is through the end of the All-Star break, when players return to their teams July 17 and games resume the following day. It can be extended if the investigation remains ongoing.

Chris Antonetti, Cleveland’s president of baseball operations, said before Thursday night's game at the Chicago Cubs that the team can continue to have contact with Ortiz, but he can't enter any of the Guardians' facilities. Ortiz returned to Cleveland on Wednesday night.

Ortiz was slated to be the starting pitcher for Thursday night’s series finale. Instead, left-hander Joey Cantillo was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Cantillo is 1-0 with one save and a 3.81 ERA in 21 appearances this season.

“We learned very little last night, but knew we needed to get someone here today to start today’s game, and that really was our focus,” Antonetti said. "A lot has come out today, and that’s far more information than we have.

“Our focus is we’ll let the investigative process play out. To the extent Major League Baseball or anyone needs our support in that, we will obviously cooperate. But beyond that, there’s really not much we can do.”

Manager Stephen Vogt said he and Antonetti addressed the team about Ortiz's situation and tried to answer questions the best they could.

It is another setback for a Guardians squad that has dropped a season-high six straight games and is 9-18 since May 1.

“Honestly, when I got the news yesterday I didn’t know how to feel,” Vogt said. “There’s so much unknowns with this, but you know what? Every team goes through adversity, maybe different kinds, but this is a resilient group. I’ve been through situations similar to this before in my career as a player, and what would I have wanted to hear? How would I want the manager to have reacted, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

The 26-year old Ortiz is in his first season with Cleveland after he was acquired in a trade with Pittsburgh last December. The right-hander is 4-9 with a 4.36 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 16 starts this season. The nine losses are tied for the most in the American League.

In four big-league seasons, Ortiz is 16-22 with a 4.05 ERA and one save.

The investigation into Ortiz comes a little more than a year after MLB suspended five players for gambling, including a lifetime ban for San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 with a legal sportsbook in 2022 and 2023.

Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly and three minor leaguers - San Diego pitcher Jay Groome, Arizona pitcher and Philadelphia infielder José Rodríguez - received one-year suspensions.

Umpire Pat Hoberg was fired by Major League Baseball in February for sharing his legal sports gambling accounts with a friend who bet on baseball games and for intentionally deleting electronic messages pertinent to the league’s investigation.