The Los Angeles Dodgers are working on a deal to send relief pitcher Yency Almonte to the Chicago Cubs, according to a source. It remains to be seen what the Dodgers will receive in return. Almonte already avoided salary arbitration with the Dodgers back in November, signing a one-year, $1.9 million deal. The 29-year-old right-hander was dominant for the Blue in 2022 but took a big step back in 2023 in his second year in LA, posting a 5.06 ERA (4.59 FIP) and 1.39 WHIP with 24 walks and a career-high 49 strikeouts in 48 relief innings over 49 appearances out of the Dodgers' bullpen. Adbert Alzolay will open the 2024 season as Chicago's primary closer, but Almonte could eventually earn a high-leverage setup role alongside Julian Merryweather and Drew Smyly.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Yency Almonte (knee) is starting a minor-league rehab assignment for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Dodgers will have a first-round bye in the playoffs for the wild-card round, but Almonte probably won't be able to join the Dodgers in the postseason unless they advance to the National League Championship Series since he hasn't pitched since hurting his right knee on Aug. 11. The 29-year-old right-hander wasn't very good in his 49 relief appearances for the Blue this year anyway, posting a 5.06 ERA (4.59 FIP), 1.39 WHIP, 24 walks and 49 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitchers Daniel Hudson (ankle, knee) and Yency Almonte (elbow) are scheduled to face live hitters on Wednesday for the first time since spring training started. Hudson suffered a season-ending torn left ACL last June and also had a setback with an ankle injury, which will cause him to open the 2023 season on the injured list. However, Hudson could be back as a closing option for the Blue in the middle of April. The 28-year-old Almonte missed most of the second half in 2022 with an elbow injury, and he could also open the season on the injured list for the Dodgers. Hudson should have much more fantasy appeal than Almonte as an option to close out games for one of the best teams in baseball.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Yency Almonte (elbow) threw 25 pitches of live batting practice to infielder Gavin Lux (neck) on Wednesday. Almonte looked good during the session and could be ready to rejoin the Dodgers bullpen sooner than later. However, the 28-year-old will throw at least one more simulated game before potentially going on a minor league rehab assignment. In his first year in LA, Almonte has been excellent in his 31 1/3 relief innings, posting a career-low 1.15 ERA (3.27 FIP), a 0.89 WHIP, one save and a 30:10 K:BB.

Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Yency Almonte (elbow) has been placed on the 15-day injured list. It's uncertain how the right-hander suffered the injury, but this is a huge blow to the Dodgers bullpen. He currently holds a 1.15 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 30/10 K/BB ratio over 31 1/3 innings. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers have recalled right-hander Andre Jackson from Triple-A. The loss of Almonte won't change much for fantasy managers. Although, the Dodgers bullpen will take a hit with Almonte unavailable for a few weeks.

Colorado Rockies reliever Yency Almonte took the loss on Thursday when he surrendered three runs on three hits over 1 1/3 innings of relief in a 6-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Chi Chi Gonzalez started this game and lasted 3 2/3 innings before handing the ball over to Almonte. The Rockies held a brief 5-3 lead before Almonte gave up a sacrifice fly to Dansby Swanson and a two-run homer to Adam Duvall. The Braves reclaimed the lead and Colorado was shut out for the remainder of the game, giving the 27-year-old righty his third loss of the season. It's been a rough season for Almonte, who was one of the Rockies' most reliable relievers during the shortened 2020 campaign. He's got a horrendous 8.41 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, and 38:26 K/BB ratio over 40 2/3 innings of relief on the year. Obviously, there's no fantasy value here whatsoever.

A look at what's happening around the majors today: SHORT STORY The first-place Mets are waiting for news on Francisco Lindor, who left Friday night's heated 4-1 loss in Pittsburgh with soreness on his right side. New York manager Luis Rojas had no further update after the game other than to say the star shortstop would be examined in the morning. Lindor winced after grounding out to second base in the fifth inning. The four-time All-Star took a few steps out of the batter’s box but then peeled off toward the Mets’ dugout on the first base side. In his first season with the Mets after being acquired from Cleveland in a January trade, Lindor is hitting .228 with 11 home runs in 88 games. He agreed to a $341 million, 10-year contract just before opening day. PITCHING A SHUTOUT Nathan Eovaldi (9-5, 3.66 ERA) and the Boston Red Sox try to improve to 8-0 against the rival New York Yankees this season when they face Gerrit Cole (9-4, 2.68) in a prime-time matchup of AL All-Stars in the Bronx.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez shut down the short-handed Yankees into the sixth inning, Christian Arroyo and J.D. Martinez homered and the Boston Red Sox beat their rivals 4-0 on Friday night with New York missing slugger Aaron Judge and five others due to a coronavirus outbreak. A day after the series opener was postponed for testing and contact tracing, Judge, third baseman Gio Urshela and catcher Kyle Higashioka were added to the COVID-19 injured list. They joined Yankees pitchers Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Wandy Peralta, who have also tested positive over the past week. New York was also without first baseman Luke Voit, who went on the injured list Friday with a bone bruise in his left knee. Rodriguez (7-5) allowed two hits over 5 2/3 innings, retiring 10 straight during one stretch and finishing with eight strikeouts. Hirokazu Sawamura got the final out of the sixth, and Tanner Houck pitched the final three innings, closing out Boston’s three-hitter for his first... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez shut down the short-handed Yankees into the sixth inning, Christian Arroyo and J.D. Martinez homered and the Boston Red Sox beat their rivals 4-0 on Friday night with New York missing slugger Aaron Judge and five others due to a coronavirus outbreak. A day after the series opener was postponed for testing and contact tracing, Judge, third baseman Gio Urshela and catcher Kyle Higashioka were added to the COVID-19 injured list. They joined Yankees pitchers Jonathan Loaisiga, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Wandy Peralta, who have also tested positive over the past week. New York was also without first baseman Luke Voit, who went on the injured list Friday with a bone bruise in his left knee. Rodriguez (7-5) allowed two hits over 5 2/3 innings, retiring 10 straight during one stretch and finishing with eight strikeouts. Hirokazu Sawamura got the final out of the sixth, and Tanner Houck pitched the final three innings, closing out Boston’s three-hitter for his first... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. ANGELS 8, ORIOLES 7 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went deep twice to reach 30 homers this season and then scored the winning run on Jared Walsh’s two-out single in the ninth inning that lifted Los Angeles over Baltimore. Ohtani drew a walk from Paul Fry... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. ANGELS 8, ORIOLES 7 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani went deep twice to reach 30 homers this season and then scored the winning run on Jared Walsh’s two-out single in the ninth inning that lifted Los Angeles over Baltimore. Ohtani drew a walk from Paul Fry... [More]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run rally in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 Friday night for their seventh straight win. The Nationals lost slugger Kyle Schwarber in the second inning when he grabbed at his hamstring after a single. He hit a franchise-record 16 home runs in June. Starter Julio Urías (10-3) allowed one earned run in six innings. Scherzer also allowed one earned run in six innings and struck out eight. Left-handed reliever Sam Clay (0-1) found trouble when he replaced Scherzer. Chris Taylor hit a leadoff double, a dribbler by pinch-hitter Albert Pujols scored him, and Austin Barnes was hit by a pitch. BRAVES 1, MARLINS 0 ATLANTA (AP) — Miami starter Pablo López was ejected after plunking Ronald Acuña Jr. with his first pitch, leading to the only run in Atlanta's victory. The Braves got just two hits and still won their third in a row. The Marlins have... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Matt Harvey was greeted warmly by Mets fans in his return to Citi Field and harshly by New York’s hitters as the Mets beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-1 Wednesday. Harvey pitched against his former team for the first time and allowed Kevin Pillar’s two-run triple in a three-run second inning that carried the Mets to their seventh straight win. Wearing orange and black instead of blue and orange, Harvey (3-3) gave up a season-high seven runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, and his ERA rose from 3.60 to 4.81 as the last-place Orioles lost for the fifth time in six games. Taijuan Walker (3-1) lowered his ERA to 2.20, allowing one run and four hits over seven innings as part of a five-hitter. Dominic Smith had three hits and two RBIs for the NL East-leading Mets, who completed a two-game sweep that finished a 5-0 homestand. New York is on its longest hot streak since winning eight straight from Aug. 3-10, 2019. YANKEES 1, RAYS 0 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out... [More]

CHICAGO (AP) — Slumping slugger José Ramírez connected for a go-ahead, two-run homer off Lance Lynn in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians bounced back from being no-hit, beating the Chicago White Sox 4-2 on Thursday. After Carlos Rodón just missed a perfect game Wednesday night, there was a different kind of tension this time as the benches emptied in the bottom of the first. Adam Eaton singled and tried to advance when Indians right fielder Josh Naylor threw to third, hoping to get the lead runner. Eaton arrived ahead of the throw back to second, but was called out when his hand came off the bag while shortstop Andrés Giménez stood his ground and held the tag. Eaton grabbed Giménez’s leg, began barking and then pushed Giménez in the chest with two hands. Indians starter Aaron Civale plunked Eaton with a pitch in the upper arm in the third. Civale (3-0) allowed only a run — in the first — and five hits through six innings in his third straight strong start. Nick Wittgren and James... [More]

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jurickson Profar hit an RBI double with no outs in the ninth inning for the San Diego Padres, who got a brilliant performance from right-hander Dinelson Lamet to beat the Colorado Rockies 1-0 on Monday night for their sixth victory in eight games. Pinch-hitter Greg Garcia started the winning rally when he poked an opposite-field single past third baseman Nolan Arenado leading off the ninth. He was replaced by pinch-runner Jorge Mateo, who scored on Profar’s double to right off Carlos Estévez.Drew Pomeranz (1-1) pitched the ninth for the win.Lamet matched his season high with 11 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings, the longest outing of his career. He allowed six hits and walked none. The Padres squandered two big scoring chances earlier, including loading the bases with one out in the seventh before Manny Machado lined out to third baseman Nolan Arenado, who doubled Fernando Tatis Jr. off first. Tatis originally was called safe but the Rockies challenged the call and it was overturned.... [More]

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Rendon hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, Albert Pujols drove in three runs and the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros to sweep Saturday’s doubleheader.It was not a walk-off win for the Angels, though. They were the visiting team in the nightcap because it was a makeup of the Aug. 26 game in Houston that was postponed due to Tropical Storm Laura.Mike Trout became the Angels’ home run leader in the first game with No. 300 of his career and Jo Adell celebrated with a game-winning, two-run single in the seventh to give Los Angeles a 10-9 win.Rendon hitting homers to sink the Astros is nothing new. He had a three-run shot for Washington in Game 6 of last year’s World Series and then a solo drive in the deciding game to start the Nationals’ comeback.Noe Ramirez (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth and Ty Buttrey earned his fifth save.Los Angeles trailed 6-4 in the seventh. Justin Upton singled and Trout walked before Rendon... [More]