On the eve of this summer’s trade deadline, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Royals facing potential bullpen injuries:
Yesterday’s 7-3 loss to the Cubs was a particularly brutal one for the Royals, as relievers John Schreiber and Hunter Harvey both exited the game due to injury concerns, leaving a bullpen that is already an obvious weakness for Kansas City in an even more precarious position. After being acquired from the Red Sox over the offseason, Schreiber has posted a 4.14 ERA and an excellent 3.26 FIP in 37 innings of work. Harvey was acquired just before the All-Star break from the Nationals and sports a 4.15 ERA and 3.38 FIP in 47 2/3 innings this year.
As noted by MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, Schreiber “tweaked” his knee on a play and first base and limped off the field before being replaced by Harvey to start the next inning. Harvey then recorded two outs in the seventh before surrendering back-to-back walks and exiting due to back spasms. Per manager Matt Quatraro, Schreiber is set to undergo imaging and the club expects to know more about the status of both players today. The loss of either arm would surely exacerbate the Royals’ need for bullpen help, which has seen them connected to Angels righty Luis Garcia and Marlins lefty Tanner Scott in recent days.
2. Lopez to receive imaging results:
The Braves also received a major injury scare yesterday when right-hander Reynaldo Lopez exited yesterday’s game due to forearm tightness. Lopez has paired with veteran Chris Sale to help make up for the loss of ace hurler Spencer Strider this year as he’s posted a sterling 2.06 ERA with a 3.16 FIP through 19 starts. Lopez was set to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the issue last night. A serious injury could force the Braves to jump into the market for starting pitching even as the club figures to prioritize adding to its beleaguered outfield. With as many as ten contenders already in the market for starting pitching help, the addition of Atlanta to that group could make the rush for rotation arms the talk of the league over the final day and a half before the deadline.
3. What’s next for the Cubs?
The Cubs entered deadline season looking like probable sellers this summer but have instead focused on this point on adding players with long-term team control. They picked up right-hander Nate Pearson (controlled through 2026) from the Blue Jays on Saturday before swinging the most surprising deal of the deadline so far yesterday to acquire third baseman Isaac Paredes (controlled through 2027) from the Rays.
Given those buy-side acquisitions, it would hardly be a surprise to see the Cubs attempt to accumulate more long-term assets at the big league level, and they’ve even been connected to shorter-term assets like Giants southpaw Blake Snell. On the other hand, right-hander Jameson Taillon has received plenty of interest on the trade market, and it remains possible he or a bullpen arm like Mark Leiter Jr. get shipped out by president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and his staff as the deadline approaches.
Mike Trout appeared in 1 minor league at bat, struck out, and then gave up. Hasn’t even begun running yet and no timetable for a return.. Somehow, he breaks or nearly breaks the record for longest recovery time with almost every injury he gets. He would spend the rest of his career on a golf course, if he had the option. One of the worst contracts in sports and Angry Arte couldn’t even give him away for nothing without covering around $100 million of the remainder of Trout’s albatross contract. Of course the MRI didn’t show anything. Of course it didn’t.
And you broke your tail bone typing that thing with your behind where digested remnant of food you ate, masquerade as your brain.
When trout signed that deal he was on pace to be the greatest player of all time. It was honestly a team friendly deal.
It was the biggest contract in sports history. It was not a team friendly deal at all. And he was on pace to be a top 5 player at best, definitely not the best ever.
And he was years away from free agency at the time, which further highlights how much of a non-team friendly deal it was. It’s not like they were bidding for his services as a free agent, it was a preemptive deal and he still got the biggest contract in sports history. Trout squeezed every dollar he could out of the organization.
You are so wrong. The team extended him by offering the contract and Trout simply accepting it. The team made so much from the contract.
Can’t believe a team paid a player who was only “on pace to be a top 5 player at best.”
Still can’t believe that Trout dragged himself into Spring Training and showed his face in Spring Training after choking so badly against Ohtai- still can’t believe that actually happened. But, it happened.
I would put Rendon as the player with the record for longest recovery time. I know he’s established Anaheim his home for him and his family, but maybe Trout needs a change of scenery to get the competitive juices going again.
I just realized that Rendon has been back from his hamstring injury since July 8th. Stats since then (52 ABs):
AVG .170
OBP .237
SLG .226
OPS .463
Angels on the hook for 2 more years at $38.6M per year.
Per?! Holy cow!!
I will forever find it strange how personally fans take player injuries, even to the point of being angry at the injured person. It seems logical to be precautious when one has faced many injuries, no? I know that if I had been hurt that often, if I felt some strange pain, I’d take it easy for a bit or get it checked out.
On an article that has nothing to do with the Angels or Trout, no less
Trout struck out against Ohtani too with World Championship and American prestige on the line. Ohtani challenged him (and won) with multiple fastballs right down the middle and Trout never even made contact with the ball- all swings and misses. One of the biggest chokes in sports history. All the solo HR’s, failures in big situations, etc. The media has been sucking up to him hard for more than a decade- time for some realism. Very unclutch guy.
“One of the biggest chokes in sports history.”
Ah, ok you’re a troll. Thanks for making that clear
Haha right, because swinging and missing on 3 pitches- including 2 fastballs right down the middle, while acting as team captain, in a 1 run game with the World Championship on the line, doesn’t count as one of the biggest choke jobs in sports history. Right….
Striking out against a great pitcher who also was playing for a WBC championship and the pride of his country is far from “one of the biggest chokes in sports history.”
I’m sorry for whatever Trout did to hurt you, but I hope you find the help you need to get back to doing something more productive than whining about this over and over in the comments of an article that’s not even related to Trout.
Ohtani is a very good pitcher and I’m sure you would have homered off him. Trout is great. Period
Headliner
Thanks for adding a comment about the Royals, Cubs or Lopez rather than going off on a tangent to troll a Hall of Famer.
The universe will be in balance when all three Luis Garcias are healthy
Still recall the day the White Sox started an all Garcia outfield. Great photo of the three amigos lined up as they huddled in the OF. Good times
I actually remember when they had the García’s in the outfield I think i remember the commentator for the royals on TV mentioning it.
LOL. Love it.
Harry would say “let’s get some runs!”
And then after his 8th Margarita at El Jardin, he’d get the runs.
This Bud’s for you!
Used to be Falstaff when he was paired with Jimmy Piersall. The beer not the opera hero, but both apply to Harry.
Then after their 8th needle injection around the 5th inning, the Sox fans would attack the players and umps and then start running from the police
TOBTTR: As a Sox fan I’m not thrilled to see the cubs improve themselves, but my poor misguided sister, who’s a cub fan, is delighted about her team getting Paredes.
Avenger: neither am I, but have to respect them at least making some moves.
If the Braves are going to try to get a starter it’d be nice if they could get someone that could also be in the rotation next year since more than likely Fried will end up on the West Coast. someone like Lane Thomas for the outfield would be a great benefit to the Braves as well.
Agreed 100%. In all likelihood you are having to replace Fried and Morton in the off-season. Strider is a bit of an unknown timetable. No telling what we find out on López today. I think a CONTROLLABLE pitcher is a must. Not a rental. I’d also go controllable outfielder. Acuña may not be ready opening day and Kelenic is far from a sure thing as the answer in LF. Thomas would be a nice addition.
Skyrider: If the Braves are going to trade for a SP I hope it’s Crochet. Getz will ask for an unreasonable amount in return, but AA would definitely get the better of him.
No telling what AA is going to do(as per usual), but the braves need a little bit of help everywhere. I dont think you can fix the problem with one or two trades. It dosent make sense to make big spashy trades when were barely playing .500 ball. Take a bunch of low flier trades keep it afloat, and see if a playoff run can be made when Harris and Albies come back in aug/sept. Otherwise keep the bigger trade chips until the offseason. Might need to fill 3 rotation spots for next year. Morton, Fried and possibly Lopez. You have Sale, Schewllebach, then everyone else coming back from injury AJSS, Waldrep, Yona, Anderson…and the rest of the AAA guys. Need a Strider bridge too probably coming back in may/june
What’s next for the Cubs? If they get an offer that they can’t refuse, then you trade Taillon quick, fast and in a hurry. It’s not like they’re going anywhere this year anyway. Seems like they’re open for business as they should be!
I think the Yankees will re-acquire Taillon. What kind of return do you think he gets? let’s assume the Cubs are willing to keep a big chunk of his salary to help them financially. I would think he would get a top 10 prospect and maybe a couple of lower prospects. What do you guys think?
ruckus, IMO if a team doesn’t have a Top 5 rated Catcher in their system that’s close to MLB ready – – or MLB ready SP ranked in their systems Top 5 players – – don’t bother calling the Cubs for Taillon.
Cubs should trade Neris, Smyly and give away Hendricks. Seems silly to trade anyone controlled next year. Tailon and Leiter are very solid arms
They’ll find no takers for Hendricks. They may want to unload Neris and Smyly but with bullpen having been a need all season, I don’t understand why they would trade Leiter or Montgomery. They’re both controllable, inexpensive and pitching well…
Bullpen has been great as of late, of course they have several injuries still but Merryweather is back and Alzolay is nearing a return as well.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some interest in Hendricks but I kind of doubt the Cubs will make him available.
Truth be told, a good GM/PBO should start considering trading any player when they are in Taillon’s situation, two years remaining, making a decent chunk and having an excellent year. Also, teams pretty much always over pay for pitching at the trade deadline.
I wonder, will the Rays be able to field a team?
Morel replaces Randy, Caminero for Isaac, Springs for Eflin, Rasmussen for Adam. What’s the problem, exactly?
The two best RPs for the Royals have been Smoke and Mirrors.
Braves are a great organization but I don’t think this is their year. Farm system is thin and tough to loose your best hitter and pitcher and win a World Series
What’s next for the Cubs?? They don’t trade Jamo and he gets hot. They don’t trade Belli, he comes back, and gets hot. PCA moves to defensive replacement for Suzuki and they both get hot. Isaac gets hot. They call up Mo Baller and he gets hot. The Cubs will ride Shotamania into the playoffs, where they will lose the wildcard game and it’ll be just enough to keep Jed around for 2 more years.
A lot of “ifs” and Isaac in on the bench today but Counsells version of Babe Ruth (Tauchman) is playing again. I’ve been a Cubs fan for 70 years and I know one thing for certain. Until Hoyer and Counsell are gone the Cubs won’t win.
Elsewhere, in news from Pirates headquarters,
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… there is no news from the Pirates.