Overview
- The MLB Players Association presented its first official collective bargaining proposal, which seeks large changes such as a near-doubling of the minimum salary, reduced club control for older players, and a competitive-integrity tax, raising the financial stakes for teams.
- Tarik Skubal has shown encouraging progress in live batting-practice sessions as he recovers from elbow surgery, and trade speculation intensified on Friday with ESPN’s Buster Olney naming the San Diego Padres an early favorite to pursue him.
- The Houston Astros closed a 7-3 road trip to move within 2½ games of first place in the AL West, a surge driven by improved starting pitching and the return-to-form of key hitters.
- Boston’s bullpen was weakened when Garrett Whitlock was placed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation, a loss that contributed to a 10-2 defeat to the Atlanta Braves in which Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a grand slam.
- Teams continue to manage heavy roster churn driven by starter and reliever injuries and frequent IL moves, a pattern that could interact with CBA outcomes and the trade market to reshape how clubs allocate innings and prospects.