Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh was placed on the injured list after re-aggravating a side injury.
- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker has emerged as a prime extension candidate after a strong 2026 season performance.
- Los Angeles Dodgers signed veteran Jason Heyward as a special assistant to president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
Memorial Day is traditionally the time in every MLB season we can start to separate the contenders from pretenders. Sure, there's still plenty of ball left to be played, but for a team like, say, the Seattle Mariners or Detroit Tigers, there is reason to worry. Both of these teams were among the AL's elite last year and even faced off in the ALDS, without the Mariners advancing in five games. Now, both are lingering around .500, with the Tigers sitting in last place in the AL Central. So, you catch my drift.
With these labels assigned (at least to some teams) come the first trade deadline rumblings of the year. Will the Giants, Mets and Astros sell off their spare parts? What can the Yankees, Braves, Cubs and Dodgers add to increase their chances? The answers don't always come in a steady stream, but more information — including the futures of Cal Raleigh and Jordan Walker — are starting to trickle out.
Another Cal Raleigh injury could force another Seattle Mariners setback
- Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh broke out of his slump earlier this week
- Raleigh's victory was short-lived, as he was placed on the 10-day injured list
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh suffered another injury setback on Wednesday night. After finally breaking his hitless streak earlier this week, Raleigh's return to the backstop was deemed a moderate success from Mariners fans and pundits alike. Perhaps this was what Raleigh needed all along to shake off the rust of a disappointing WBC and start of the 2026 MLB season. Then, Raleigh re-aggravated his side injury.
The story of Raleigh showering in his uniform and then recording two hits went viral as soon as he revealed it. That's what happens when you find a proven slump-buster. What comes next for Raleigh, though, is prioritizing his health for a change. It can be argued the Mariners should've placed him on the IL weeks ago with his initial side injury. Instead, he DH'd most games, and proceeded to start his 0-for-36 slump.
Cal Raleigh then was unable to make a throw to first base on a would-be 6-2-3 double play attempt.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 14, 2026
Though it's unclear if it was because of his right side discomfort or if he slipped. Or both. https://t.co/wWHqp0L6nP pic.twitter.com/vMbyhtNMeW
This time around, manager Dan Wilson claims that Raleigh is fine. The star catcher was apparently removed from the game for precautionary reasons. Odds are, he'll be in the Mariners lineup again sooner rather than later, but it's fair to wonder if that's best for his long-term health.
On Thursday, Raleigh was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Jordan Walker is next up for an extension with the St. Louis Cardinals
- Jordan Walker has turned his Cardinals career around in 2026.
- Walker could be a prime extension candidate, per FanSided's Robert Murray.
Jordan Walker looks like a different player in 2026 than he was last season and even further back. The former St. Louis Cardinals top prospect received one last chance to prove himself this spring. Everything has clicked for the young Cardinals outfielder this season. Oli Marmol and Co. seem to think it's no fluke. The Cards sit in third place in the NL Central and are among the many NL Wild Card contenders just short of Memorial Day. If they hope to build around this young core, keeping Walker around is essential, as FanSided's Robert Murray reported.
"There’s a couple different ways that Walker and the Cardinals can go about this. He could sign a six-year extension similar to Pete Crow-Armstrong's, one that would allow him to test free agency in his age-29 season and have another chance at a long-term contract. He could also follow the Austin Riley route and do a 10-year extension that would lock him up for the majority of his career," Murray wrote.
Regardless of how Chaim Bloom gets it done, he inherited a couple of gems in Walker and JJ Wetherholt. Most front office leads aren't as lucky when handed the keys to the franchise. It's now his job to ensure Walker doesn't go anywhere.
Jason Heyward signs on to help the Los Angeles Dodgers front office
- The Dodgers signed Jason Heyward to a front office role
- The Cubs and White Sox also had interest in adding Heyward
The Los Angeles Dodgers need all the help they can get. The Dodgers lost four straight games by four runs or more for the first time since the late-1930's earlier this week. While there's little reason to panic, Dodgers fans could use some good news for a nice change of pace. Rather than adding more fuel to Shohei Ohtani's slump or Roki Sasaki's control issues, why not a blast from the past?
Jason Heyward, who spent the 2023 season and part of the 2024 campaign with the Dodgers at the behest of former Braves teammate Freddie Freeman, signed on to be a special assistant to Los Angeles president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.
It's unclear what, exactly, Heyward's role will be, but don't be surprised if he provides more of an ear to the Dodgers front office than, say, a legend like Clayton Kershaw. Heyward's baseball accumen could lend itself to scouting or coaching, while Kershaw should be front and center at Dodgers-related press events in the near future.
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