MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins acquired right-handed reliever Justin Lawrence from the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash on Monday night.
The 31-year-old Lawrence was 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in 23 appearances for the Pirates this season. He was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh on Friday.
Lawrence debuted with Colorado in 2021 and spent four seasons with the Rockies before Pittsburgh claimed him off waivers in March 2025. He has a 5.05 ERA over 222 major league appearances, all in relief.
The Panama-born Lawrence was a 12th-round pick by the Rockies in the 2015 amateur draft. He appeared in 69 games for Colorado in 2023 and had a 3.72 ERA and 11 saves. Last season, he allowed one run in 17 2/3 innings for the Pirates for an ERA of 0.51.
To open a spot for Lawrence, the Twins will make a roster move before Tuesday night's game against the visiting Chicago White Sox.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Justin Lawrence throws during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, April 13, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean, File)
MILWAUKEE (AP) — San Francisco Giants reliever Joel Peguero has been placed on the 60-day injured list with a left hamstring strain.
The Giants announced that move Monday while also selecting right-handed pitcher Wilkin Ramos and infielder Buddy Kennedy from Triple-A Sacramento and designating catcher Logan Porter for assignment. The Giants already had optioned catcher Jesús Rodríguez to Sacramento on Sunday.
Peguero, 29, has gone 0-0 with a 2.38 ERA in 11 appearances.
He had left the Giants' 19-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday after hurting his leg while trying to make a play on Tyler Freeman's infield single in the eighth inning. Peguero also had dealt with a hamstring strain in the spring that delayed the start of his 2026 season.
“I think this is something we’ve got to get past, or he needs to get past,” San Francisco manager Tony Vitello said before the Giants’ 16-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday. “As long as his lower half is right, everybody knows what he’s capable of doing with his arm, or upper half.”
Ramos is in the majors for the first time after going 3-1 with a 2.33 ERA in 17 relief appearances with Sacramento.
“It’s a great feeling, a unique feeling,” Ramos said through an interpreter.
Ramos made his major league debut Monday and allowed two runs in two innings.
The 25-year-old right-hander has shown improved control this year by striking out 27 and walking seven batters in 27 innings with Sacramento. In his minor league career, Ramos has walked 172 batters in 343 innings.
“I think just the presence has grown as the experience has grown,” Vitello said. “He knows what this level looks like. He knows he can get any type of hitter out. To me, you see a really commanding presence and better command of the baseball, too. The stuff and athleticism has always kind of been there.”
Kennedy, 27, has batted .321 with a .424 on-base percentage, .543 slugging percentage, eight homers, 33 RBIs and five steals in 48 games with Sacramento. He went 2 for 29 at the plate while playing a combined 13 games in the majors with Philadelphia, Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
He entered Monday's game at third base in the seventh inning and then pitched the eighth as the Giants tried to avoid taxing their bullpen in a blowout loss.
Porter, 30, has appeared in one game for San Francisco this season and also has hit .241 with a .292 on-base percentage, one homer and 10 RBIs in 17 games with Sacramento.
Rodríguez, 24, hit .231 with a .302 on-base percentage, two homers, seven RBIs and one steal in 14 games with San Francisco.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Joel Peguero works against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning of a baseball game Sunday, May 31, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
