It was a quiet trade deadline for the Guardians, as Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that the club “at times…felt they were close” to landing Sean Murphy from the Athletics, yet no deal was completed. Murphy was known to be a trade target for the Guards, though another somewhat surprising name was at least briefly on their radar, as Hoynes reports that Cleveland and San Diego had some talks about first baseman Eric Hosmer. However, those discussions didn’t get far, as the Guardians are one of the 10 teams on Hosmer’s no-trade list. Hosmer also used his no-trade protection to scuttle his involvement in the Padres’ blockbuster deal with the Nationals for Juan Soto, so the Padres instead moved Hosmer to the Red Sox.
San Diego dealt Hosmer and two prospects to Boston for lefty pitching prospect Jay Groome, and the Padres also covering basically all of the $44MM remaining on Hosmer’s deal (which runs through the 2025 season). It’s fair to guess that the Guardians might have had interest in something similar, with Hosmer joining Josh Naylor and Owen Miller as part of the first base/DH mix. Hosmer might have been viewed by the Guards as just a one-season fill-in now that the team is seemingly willing to part ways with Franmil Reyes, but with the Padres footing the bill, Cleveland could have kept Hosmer around as a veteran complement to their younger players.
More from around the AL Central…
- The Twins activated outfielder Max Kepler from the 10-day injured list, and optioned outfielder Mark Contreras to Triple-A. Kepler is making a relatively quick return from a fracture in his right baby toe, after he was hit by a pitch on July 24. Kepler has generated 2.0 fWAR over his 85 games this season, thanks to solid defense and an above-average (113 wRC+) offensive line of .244/.344/.390 in 337 plate appearances.
- Tigers right-hander Beau Brieske had a Triple-A rehab start yesterday, and manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky) that Brieske is perhaps on track to be activated from the 15-day injured list in time to start the Tigers’ game with the Guardians on Wednesday. Forearm soreness sent Brieske to the IL on July 18, but it appears as though the rookie has avoided any serious setback — a rare bit of good health news within an injury-plagued season for Detroit pitchers. All of these injuries open the door for Brieske to make his Major League debut, and the righty posted a respectable 4.19 ERA over his first 15 starts and 81 2/3 innings in the Show.
It’s “Hawes-muh” now
Or “Hawes- muh” I should say.
In San Diego he was just meh
San Diego paid Hosmer the big contract & did nothing but whine & complain afterwards. Glad Boston got him for almost nothing & that the Pads have to foot the bill.
Hosmer really was the Antichrist. Refused to adjust to today’s game, rarely (if ever) admitted fault, etc. King of the GIDP.
Pujols is King of the GIDP to be fair.
But he’s a “man of faith” so it’s all good.
“All of these injuries open the door for Brieske to make his Major League debut”
“the righty posted a respectable 4.19 ERA over his first 15 starts and 81 2/3 innings in the Show.”
What am I missing here?
I think they meant “opened”
Red Sox made out really good in that trade. Hosmer is a solid contributor and they’re only paying him league minimum plus they got 2 ok prospects. Groome is nothing more than an innings eater.
He is decent. I know he gets knocked for big contract but he puts up the same numbers as he did in KC. Happens all the time. Players get overpayed and knocked because they don’t become superstars.
Thing is we will get to see how Hosmer does in a hitters park. Kauffman Stadium is not a true “hitters” park and Petco isn’t a hitters park at all. If Hosmer can adjust and aim for the monster he’ll be solid
I thought it was a very good pick up, I agree. He can’t hurt, and they have needed an upgrade.
The pitcher who’s pitch hit and injured Kepler SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED for the period of 7/24/22 thru 8/06/22 to coincide with the length of time that Kepler has been unavailable to the Twins. It is long past the time that pitchers (and their teams) whose thrown pitches hit and injure players not suffer some kind of consequence as a result of their performance failure. That “just part of the game” no longer cuts it when the one sided loss of playing time is considered in relation to the team’s on field viability as well as the financial cost to the team for that player’s time as well as the possible long term effect on that player’s long term MLB performance.
Maybe Kepler should move his foot quicker?
Maybe the pitcher should learn how to pitch?
If it was intentional, and you can prove that, you have a point. Harold Ramirez was hit on the hand, broke the hand, and has been out ever since; he was on fire, and probably the most clutch hitter the Rays have had this year. But I don’t even remember who hit him, I know it was an accident, and I just move on…yes, it sucks, but without intention and proof it’s pretty hard to discipline someone thusly.
It is not an issue whether it was intentional or not intentional.
The point is that Kepler and the Twins suffered the loss of the ability of one of their players to perform for the team as a result of an injury to Kepler That injury was the result of a pitched ball. Meanwhile neither the pitcher that HIT KEPLER or the team that that the pitcher plays for suffered IN ANY WAY. No lost time, no penalty, no fine, no nothing. It is just plain not fair to the other team and the game.
Jacksson13;
Are you also for calling penalties on batters that are either leaning over the plate or have a part of their body over the plate? Happens all the time in todays MLB. How about batters that purposely don’t get out of the way of a pitch that get hit and take 1B in a close game? Who hasn’t seen a team win a game because a batter did that with the bases loaded?
Do you also recommend this for pro football and basketball – a player gets hit by the opposition and has to miss games; therefore the opposition player should be suspend for the same amount of games?
Back to baseball – do you think this issue could be resolved if batters could hit the ball off a tee? After all: “The Game Has Changed!” (said the guy that keeps injuring himself for no reason because he’s one of the dumbest players in the history of MLB).
Suspend pitchers for missing their spot? You may as well suspend hitters for striking out. If it’s not intentional…
I didn’t see the injury take place but, the ball hit his toe. Do you really think the pitcher did that on purpose?
This is the same kind of person who calls for “social justice” and “reparations” from people who had nothing to do with an issue long since resolved. Not every situation in life warrants a response. Things happen and then you move on.
As a Sox fan I’d rather see Hosmer than Naylor. Naylor hits a home run and turns into a sociopath. Dude’s gonna give himself a brain aneurysm one day. Good hitter though.
Curious – where did you get your psychiatry degree?
MLBTR University. Got the framed certificate hanging in my office. Would you like to schedule an appointment?
San Diego must have HATED Hosmer. Paying almost all of the 44 million left he’s owed just to get rid of him.
I would love to see what those trade proposals were for Murphy..
If Hosmer was such a roster impediment and they wound up eating the contract anyway, why didn’t they just release him well in advance of this trade?
They gave up one guy and got two back, Someone had to go.