Just an hour after Mariners GM Justin Hollander gave his weekly injury update saying the team hadn’t made a determination about a Matt Brash IL stint, the Mariners announced they have placed Brash on the 15-day IL with right lat inflammation.

The injury designation isn’t entirely a surprise, despite Hollander’s optimism regarding the injury itself – and sure, a lat is preferable to an oblique injury, something the Mariners have seen enough of already, and certainly preferable to a shoulder or elbow injury. It’s early in the season and the Mariners are being hyper-vigilant about protecting their setup man, who missed all of 2024 and time in 2025 rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

The bigger surprise is in who the Mariners are replacing Brash with. Many suspected the Mariners would turn to RHP Yosver Zulueta, who they acquired this off-season from the Reds in a minor-league swap. Zulueta has big stuff, a traditional fastball-slider reliever who has already racked up 14 strikeouts in 10 games at Tacoma. He also has the attendant command issues that caused me to label him “Carlos Vargas 2.0” this spring. Still, Zulueta seemed like the next logical choice after the Mariners had already pulled on their depth at Tacoma, selecting both Cole Wilcox and Alex Hoppe, both of whom saw similar amounts of time with the big-league club this spring as Zulueta.

But the Mariners instead opted to recall lefty Josh Simpson, acquired from the Marlins for cash considerations this spring. Simpson has less-loud stuff but similar strikeout numbers in Tacoma: 12 Ks in 9.1 innings. He also has similar command issues to Zulueta, although coming from the left side this time. The difference between the two, other than handedness: Simpson has about ten more big-league games under his belt, and has spent more consecutive time in the bigs than Zulueta, whose experience is sprinkled across two seasons. Simpson also has some shinier ERA numbers than Zulueta, and the best WHIP among Tacoma’s remaining relievers.

Chicago White Sox (14-17) at San Diego Padres (19-11), May 1, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST

Watch: Padres.TV

Location: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.

Listen: 97.3 The Fan

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Mets lineup

Bo Bichette – 3B
Juan Soto – LF
MJ Melendez – DH
Francisco Alvarez – C
Brett Baty – 1B
Marcus Semien – 2B
Carson Benge – RF
Tyrone Taylor – CF
Ronny Mauricio – SS

SP: Christian Scott – RHP

Angels lineup

Zach Neto – SS
Mike Trout – CF
Yoan Moncada – 3B
Jorge Soler – DH
Nolan Schanuel – 1B
Jo Adell – RF
Josh Lowe – LF
Travis d’Arnaud – C
Adam Frazier – 2B

SP: Walbert Urena – RHP

Broadcast info

First pitch: 9:38 PM ET
TV: WPIX
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Angels to give updates on certain players…

Latest on Jorge Polanco

Entering the season, Polanco was pegged as the one who would start at first base most games, but that hasn’t been the case for some time and now the team is waiting for his return after he went on the IL with a right wrist contusion back in mid-April.

Mendoza offered up some positive news on Polanco as he prepares to return. 

“Going to take batting practice today,” Mendoza said. “Going to take some groundballs at him. That’s a good step now that he can get on the field and start that progression.”

Polanco has only appeared in 14 games this season and is slashing .179/.246/.286 with an OPS of .532 to go along with his one home run. 

In his stead, the Mets have started Mark Vientos and Brett Baty at first base, and Jared Young before he landed on the IL. 

Andy Ibáñez and AJ Minter

Mendoza was asked about Ibáñez’s role on the team after the team called him up to the big league club ahead of Friday’s game — the Mets optioned Eric Wagaman in the corresponding move.

“[Going to use him] Against lefties,” Mendoza said of Ibáñez. “He’s done that throughout his career. Can play third base, go to short, second base if I want to give Marcus [Semien] a day. Come off the bench against lefties. He’s going to help us.”

The Mets claimed Ibáñez off waivers from the Athletics this week and the right-hander has only appeared in 11 games this season, going 2-for-17 (.118) with three RBI.

In his six-year career, Ibáñez has a career batting average of .252 and an OPS of .688 across 431 games.

As for Minter, the southpaw pitched an inning for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night. He allowed an unearned run on one hit in an otherwise clean inning. It’s Minter’s third appearance in Syracuse and seventh minor league outing overall as he continues his rehab from left lat surgery.

Mendoza said it’s good news that he hadn’t heard anything from the trainers after Minter’s night ended. Minter’s next step is to pitch Sunday to test if he can pitch two out of three days and then the Mets will decide what’s next from there.

Juan Soto back in the outfield

Soto is starting Friday’s game in left field, the first time the slugger has played the outfield since returning from the IL on April 22. Soto has been strictly a DH and Mendoza mapped out what the initial plan for his star is on this road trip.

“We’re not going to go back-to-back in the outfield,” Mendoza said. “Workload and things like that … going to go to Colorado. So maybe a game here, DH the next two, there’s a day game on Sunday. Just day-to-day. But the fact that he’s good to go now from the throwing perspective, he’s in there and we’ll continue to manage that.”

Soto went on the IL for a calf strain, but has not played the field because of forearm soreness. Mendoza said that Soto is “good to go” on that front, but the Mets are taking it easy with Soto.

One reason for that is to keep Soto’s bat in the lineup. Since he’s returned from the lineup, all Soto has done is mash.

He’s 9-for-27 since returning to the team, but he’s 7-for-14 with two home runs, two doubles and three RBI over his past four games.

“Pretty locked in,” Mendoza said of Soto’s at-bats. “Talking to someone, when you see him driving the baseball the other way, the way he’s been doing it as of late. Keeping balls fair, left field, left center, pulling the ball, staying up the middle, taking his walks. Pretty impressive. Doesn’t matter if it’s a lefty or a righty, he’s just locked in and that’s why he’s one of the best hitters in the game.”

Jacob Misiorowski was dealing. Then he was leaving.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ rising star exited Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals with a right hamstring cramp after 5 1/3 hitless innings. He had thrown 85 pitches, striking out eight and walking two Nationals up that point.

After throwing a 98.9 mph pitch to James Wood — tied for his second-slowest fastball of the night out of 53 pitches — Misiorowski called in the trainer despite no visible pain or discomfort. The Brewers announced the cramp a few minutes later.

The Brewers replaced him with reliever Aaron Ashby, with the no-hitter still intact.

Ashby kept the no-hitter going through six innings, then lost it in the seventh on a double from Daylen Lile.

Misiorowski exited the game as the MLB leader in strikeouts with 59 on the season. The hardest-throwing starting pitcher in baseball, he was particularly filthy against the Nationals with a fastball that topped out at 103 mph.

The 24-year-old is in his second season in MLB and is among the top 10 contenders for the NL Cy Young Award, according to sportsbooks.

Jacob Misiorowski was dealing. Then he was leaving.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ rising star exited Friday’s game against the Washington Nationals with a right hamstring cramp after 5 1/3 hitless innings. He had thrown 85 pitches, striking out eight and walking two Nationals up that point.

After throwing a 98.9 mph pitch to James Wood — tied for his second-slowest fastball of the night out of 53 pitches — Misiorowski called in the trainer despite no visible pain or discomfort. The Brewers announced the cramp a few minutes later.

The Brewers replaced him with reliever Aaron Ashby, with the no-hitter still intact.

Ashby kept the no-hitter going through six innings, then lost it in the seventh on a double from Daylen Lile.

Misiorowski exited the game as the MLB leader in strikeouts with 59 on the season. The hardest-throwing starting pitcher in baseball, he was particularly filthy against the Nationals with a fastball that topped out at 103 mph.

The 24-year-old is in his second season in MLB and is among the top 10 contenders for the NL Cy Young Award, according to sportsbooks.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke with president of baseball operations David Stearns on the morning of Friday’s game at the Los Angeles Angels, he said before the 9:38 p.m. series opener in Anaheim, Calif. Mendoza was asked about a report earlier Friday from MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, who cited an interview with Stearns in which Stearns said that the Mets “don’t intend to make a change” at manager.

Mendoza did not go into details of the conversation during Friday’s pregame media availability but said that he “understands the situation.” The Mets enter a nine-game road trip — starting with a three-game set at the 12-20 Angels — with an MLB-worst 10-21 record.

“We all understand the situation,” Mendoza said. “It’s good to have that conversation with him. But at the end of the day, we have a job and we have a responsibility. Since Day 1, since I’ve been in this job, I feel the support from (owner) Steven (Cohen), Alex (Cohen) and David. I love working for them. We have a really good working relationship here. But it’s about the results on the field as well.

“Steve is not happy. Alex is not happy. David is not happy. I’m not happy. All of us are frustrated. Together, we’ve got to find a way to get these guys out of this funk. And that’s what we’ll continue to do. I’m pretty confident in our coaches, our players, that this will turn.”

Mendoza added that he and Stearns “have conversations all the time.”

“I think it was just organically and it happened today,” Mendoza said.

The Mets hired Stearns and Mendoza before the 2024 season. New York went 89-73 and reached the NLCS in 2024 before going 83-79 and missing the playoffs in 2025.

“Me and my family understand what comes with this job — from the very beginning,” said Mendoza, who was the Yankees‘ bench coach from 2018-23. “I’m grateful for the support that I have from my family, but look — we understand it’s a business. We just got to continue to show up and I’ve got to do my job, and that’s to get the best out of these guys.”

Stearns told DiComo that the Mets “don’t view this as a manager problem,” and Mendoza did not point out that sentiment when asked about it in his pregame media availability.

“We are all in this together,” he said. “This is not a one specific area. We lose together. We win together. And that’s how we will continue to do this. But I’m not going to sit here and say, ‘Well, this is the reason why.’ No. We’re all responsible, and it starts with me.”

The Mets started 7-4. They have lost 17 of their past 20 games.

“It’s a professional clubhouse, right?” Mendoza said. “A lot of guys are established in this league, and they know the situation. So, they know where we’re at as a team and they know that, together, we’ve got to go out and do it. So, pressure’s especially in New York. When there’s high expectations and you’re not playing the way you’re capable of, or you’re not meeting those expectations, situations like this will come up. But, again, that’s a lot of superstars there in that locker room that they understand. But the messaging is the same from them as well — we’re in this together.”

After the off day, the Dodgers (20-11) start a six-game road trip Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals (18-13) at Busch Stadium.

Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 4.78 ERA, 40.3 GB%) is coming off one of the most dominant starts of his young career. It was a hard-luck loss for the Dodgers, but Sheehan struck out 10 over 6 ⅓ innings against the Cubs. 

Southpaw Matthew Liberatore (0-1, 4.75 ERA, 1.55 WHIP) takes the ball for the Cardinals. 

Lineups

Friday game info

• Teams: Dodgers at Cardinals
• Ballpark: Busch Stadium
• Time: 5:15 p.m. PT
• TV: SportsNet LA
• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

After a 4-2 homestand, the Atlanta Braves begin a nine-game road trip Friday night in Colorado at 8:40 p.m. EDT.

The Braves bring the best record in baseball (22-10) and a 6.5-game lead in the NL East into the road trip, which will conclude with series against the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Follow along as Grant Holmes kicks off the road trip and begins the series which will end Sunday with Spencer Strider’s return.

Game Notes

Preview

Lineups