Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Newsstand

Emmanuel Clase Placed On Administrative Leave Amid MLB’s Sports-Betting Investigation

By | at

Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary administrative leave through Aug. 31 as part of Major League Baseball’s ongoing investigation into sports betting, per a league announcement. Clase’s teammate, Luis Ortiz, was the first (and thus far only other) player placed on leave under the ongoing investigation. Clase will continue to be paid while the league looks into any alleged wrongdoing. He will not count against the team’s 40-man roster while on leave. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Clase was being placed on leave shortly prior to MLB’s formal announcement.

“The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that as part of their sports betting investigation Emmanuel Clase has been placed on non-disciplinary paid leave per an agreement with the Players Association,” the team said Monday in a statement. “We have been informed that no additional players or Club personnel are expected to be impacted. The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time, and will respect the league’s confidential investigative process as we continue to fully cooperate.”

Clase’s name had surfaced as a potential trade candidate this summer, as several contenders around the league have been weighing a run at impact relievers with multiple years of club control remaining. A trade wasn’t seen as likely, given Clase’s below-market contract and general track record of excellence.

The 27-year-old Clase has pitched 47 1/3 innings of 3.23 ERA ball this year — a “down” season relative to his lofty standards. The right-hander boasts a superlative 1.84 ERA in 336 2/3 innings over the past five seasons. He’s saved 181 games, fanned just under one-quarter of his opponents, issued walks at a tiny 4.8% clip and piled up grounders at an elite 58.5% rate along the way.

Clase signed a five-year, $20MM extension back in April 2022. He’s being paid just $4.5MM this year and has a $6MM guarantee for the 2026 season under the terms of that contract. His extension included a pair of $10MM club options for the 2027-28 seasons, though he’s already maxed out a series of escalators that have pushed the value of each of those options up to $13MM apiece.

The news comes as a notable blow to the Guardians’ already-thin postseason hopes. Cleveland is eight games back of the division-leading Tigers and 3.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot (with three teams to leapfrog). They were already without Ortiz, their fourth starter, due to this ongoing investigation and had lost another rotation member, Ben Lively, to Tommy John surgery. Former AL Cy Young winner Shane Bieber was targeting a June return but has yet to pitch in the majors after a setback in recovery from his own Tommy John procedure — though he’s on a rehab assignment and on the cusp of a return to the majors.

[Related: Cleveland Guardians Trade Deadline Outlook]

Clase’s bullpen-mate, Cade Smith, figures to take over closing duties for the time being. He’s arguably an even better reliever at this point than Clase is, and Smith himself has received plenty of attention on the summer trade market. As with Clase, a deal has been seen as unlikely, given the 26-year-old righty’s four-plus seasons of remaining club control.

Depending on how one chooses to view the Clase suspension, it could make a Smith trade more or less likely. Smith now becomes an even more focal point in the bullpen and all the more critical to whatever playoff hopes Cleveland has left. At the same time, losing Clase further dampens those postseason odds and could make the Guards more willing to turn the page on the 2025 season and focus more on the future. Smith should be an integral part of that future, but he could also net a legitimate prospect haul if moved in the next three days, potentially adding multiple long-term contributors to the Guards in 2026 and beyond.

Braves Acquire Erick Fedde, Place Grant Holmes On 60-Day IL

By | at

The Braves have acquired right-hander Erick Fedde in a trade with the Cardinals, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports.  Some money is also headed to Atlanta in the deal, with ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reporting the Cards will be covering the approximately $2.7MM remaining on Fedde’s $7.5MM salary for the 2025 season.  The deal has been officially announced by the Braves, including the detail that the Cards will receive cash considerations or a player to be named later in return.

The corresponding move to fit Fedde into Atlanta’s roster is also noteworthy, as the Braves announced that right-hander Grant Holmes was shifted to the 60-day injured list.  Holmes was placed on the 15-day IL just earlier today due to right elbow inflammation, and the move to the 60-day will effectively end Holmes’ season.

This news adds context to the trade, as while the Braves are well out of contention, Fedde provides Atlanta with a healthy arm in the wake of a multitude of pitching injuries.  Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and now Holmes are all on the IL for the foreseeable future, leaving the Braves with a skeleton crew rotation and plenty of innings to fill over the two remaining months on the schedule.

St. Louis designated Fedde for assignment earlier this week, and the trade allows the Cardinals to get at least some modicum of a return rather than just eating Fedde’s salary anyway if he’d cleared waivers.  Still, swapping Fedde for this bare-bones return has to be a disappointment for the Cards given how they could’ve landed a much higher trade package by moving Fedde last winter, or even earlier in the 2025 campaign.

It was almost exactly a year ago that the Cards themselves landed Fedde as part of a three-team trade involving the White Sox (Fedde’s previous club) and the Dodgers.  The intent was to add starting help both for the remainder of the 2024 season and into this year, as Fedde is playing on a two-year, $15MM contract signed with Chicago in December 2023.  Fedde posted a 3.30 ERA over 177 1/3 combined innings with the Sox and Cards in 2024, and drew plenty of speculation as a trade candidate during the offseason since the Cardinals were ostensibly looking to get younger.

While the Cards at least considered moving Fedde, they ultimately held onto the righty in order to preserve rotation depth.  It was one non-move of many in a curiously quiet St. Louis offseason, yet the team’s decision to perhaps give it one more go with most of its veteran core has kept the team on the outskirts of contention.  However, the Cards have lost seven of their last 10 games, and with only a 54-53 record, the Fedde DFA was the first clear signal that the team will be looking to sell moreso than buy at the deadline.

Fedde has a 5.22 ERA and a host of dismal advanced metrics over his 101 2/3 innings for St. Louis this season.  The righty was at least delivering solid bottom-line results as recently as mid-June, but his production has fallen off a cliff in the form of a 13.25 ERA over his last five starts and 17 2/3 innings.  Fedde is allowing far more walks and hard contact than he did in 2024, hence the significant dropoff from his solid performance a year ago.

There hasn’t been much to like about the righty’s performance this year, but the trade allows Fedde a change of scenery and perhaps a chance to salvage something from a lost season.  A better showing over the final two months would help Fedde’s case for his next contract on the open market this offseason, and even eating some innings for Atlanta’s rotation could get him on the Braves’ radar for a return visit in 2026, depending on the long-term health of the club’s other starters.

Yankees Place Aaron Judge On Injured List With Flexor Strain

By | at

July 27: The Yankees announced this morning that Judge has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain. Infielder Amed Rosario is replacing Judge on the roster after he was acquired from Nationals last night.

July 26: Yankees superstar Aaron Judge underwent testing earlier today due to what the Yankees termed an “elbow issue,” and manager Aaron Boone relayed the results of that testing to reporters this afternoon. As relayed by several reporters including Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Boone revealed this afternoon that Judge is suffering from a flexor strain. He’ll need to be placed on the injured list and will be limited to DH-only duties for a time upon his return, but Boone added that there is no tear in Judge’s UCL and described the diagnosis as “good news.”

ESPN’s Jorge Castillo was among those to relay that Boone suggested it’s “possible” that Judge could be back in the lineup as a DH after a minimum ten-day stint on the shelf, at which point he could begin a throwing program with an eye towards returning to the outfield later on. Castillo adds that Boone noted he’s already spoken to incumbent DH Giancarlo Stanton about getting some outfield reps while Judge occupies the DH slot upon his return. Jon Heyman of the New York Post added that the ideal scenario for the Yankees is that Judge misses ten days on the IL, then serves as the club’s DH for ten more days before returning the outfield in just 20 days total. It’s an aggressive timeline that would put Judge back in right field on a regular basis in the middle of August.

Flexor strains are often a precursor to UCL damage but can typically be resolved with rest, with the exact amount of rest necessary dependent on the severity of the strain. With such an aggressive timeline being discussed at this point, it seems likely that Judge is dealing with a relatively minor strain. With that being said, the Yankees’ top priority is surely to avoid damage to Judge’s UCL that could require surgery. It would be a surprise if the club was willing to rush their generational talent back to the field before they were completely certain that he won’t cause further damage to his elbow by continuing to play.

Whether Judge will ultimately return to the roster after just a minimum stint and be back in the outfield shortly thereafter or he’ll require a longer absence, the fact that Judge shouldn’t require surgery is surely cause for relief among the Yankees faithful. Even so, any time missed by the reigning AL MVP will be a tough blow given his singular importance to the team’s lineup. Always a prolific hitter, Judge has unlocked another gear to his game since the start of the 2022 season when he crushed an AL-record 62 homers and won his first MVP award. He was limited to just 106 games by injury in 2023 but delivered another MVP performance last year that was more or less identical to his 2022 campaign. This year has been more of the same so far, as he’s slashed an unbelievable .342/.449/.711 while leading the majors in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, and total bases as well as both bWAR and fWAR.

Losing that caliber of hitter would hurt for any lineup, but it’s especially damaging for a Yankees position player corps that has gotten up-and-down performances from other key hitters like Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Ben Rice. Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Jasson Dominguez should be able to handle things in the outfield while Judge is out of commission, but it’s undeniable that Dominguez’s league average bat is a huge step down from the elite offense Judge has offered. While no one can reasonably be expected to replace an MVP candidate, it’s possible that reinforcements from the minors (or even another club ahead of the trade deadline) could help to soften the blow over the coming days.

Top outfield prospect Spencer Jones has been raking in his first taste of Triple-A action this year and might seem like a logical choice to replace Judge on the roster, but Jack Curry of the YES Network writes that Jones missed last night’s game for the RailRiders because of back spasms. That could leave fellow Triple-A outfielders Everson Pereira and Bryan De La Cruz as the most likely options to step up in Judge’s place, particularly given that both are already on the club’s 40-man roster. It wasn’t too long ago that Pereira was in the top-100 prospect conversation, and while injuries have sidelined him in recent years he’s posted a strong .256/.353/.516 line in 300 Triple-A plate appearances this year. De La Cruz has less impressive numbers, but does boast a longer track record in the big leagues.

With Judge expected to return this season and potentially do so without even spending very long on the injured list, it’s unlikely that his injury will cause the Yankees to pull back from their plan of buying in the coming days as they look to catch the Blue Jays in the AL East. It’s not out of the question, however, that the club could have more interest in adding further additions to the offense in the wake of today’s news even after trading for third baseman Ryan McMahon yesterday. Speculatively speaking, a versatile hitter capable of helping out all over the diamond like Twins utility man Willi Castro or versatile Cardinals hitter Brendan Donovan (the latter of whom New York was recently connected to) could be very attractive as a short-term boost to the outfield mix while Judge recovers who could then shift to the infield mix long-term.

Top 50 Trade Candidates For The 2025 Deadline

By | at

We’re now less than a week from Thursday evening. The activity should begin really ramping up in the two days preceding the deadline, but the bubble teams that waited until the end of the month to finalize a direction are out of time. Since we began writing this list on Thursday morning, we’ve already seen three players who were locks to be on here — Josh Naylor, Gregory Soto, and Ryan McMahon — change hands. Naylor and McMahon would have landed comfortably within the top 10.

As is the case for all our trade candidate lists, we’re trying to strike a balance between the player’s appeal and the likelihood that they’ll move. This isn’t purely a ranking of trade value or talent. There are players in the back half of the list who’d vault to the top if it were clear that they’d be traded. It’s an inherently subjective exercise.

This is a league-wide summary, but we also drilled down more specifically into each team with our new Deadline Outlook series for Front Office subscribers that rolled out over the past few weeks.

Stats through play on July 26.

1. Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Diamondbacks ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Suárez is the best rental bat available. He leads the majors with 87 RBI and trails only Shohei Ohtani among NL hitters with 36 homers while running a .249/.321/.587 slash line. The D-Backs are resigned to selling after being swept by the Astros this week and already made on big trade. While they could hold Suárez and make a qualifying offer, they’ll be able to find a stronger trade return — ideally one that nets upper level starting pitching with club control. The Mariners, Cubs, Yankees, Mets, Reds and Phillies have been tied to Suárez and it stands to reason that Arizona has heard from plenty more teams on the best power hitter who’ll change hands.

2. Mitch Keller, RHP, Pirates ($15MM in 2025, $16.5MM in 2026, $18MM in 2027, $20MM in 2028)

Keller is a steady mid-rotation starter who is signed for another three years. His salaries ranging from $15-20MM are notable but good value compared to a free agent market where aging or reclamation starters often command eight figures. Keller is sitting on a career-best 3.53 earned run average while averaging nearly six innings per start. His 18.7% strikeout rate is down from peak levels, but he’s averaging 94 MPH on his fastball while showing plus command. Keller fits as a #3 arm and playoff-caliber starter on a contender. While Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last night that the Pirates are uncertain about moving him, he’s still their best realistic trade chip to add controllable hitting talent. The Yankees, Blue Jays, Cubs and Mets have all been tied to the 29-year-old righty.

3. Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Marlins ($17MM in 2025, $17MM in 2026, $21MM club option/$2MM buyout for 2027)

The former Cy Young winner has had a wobbly first season back from Tommy John surgery. His 6.66 ERA and 16.7% strikeout rate through 104 innings aren’t close to his peak level. The lack of whiffs is a real cause for concern, but Alcantara’s fastball is back above 97 MPH on average. He’s coming off his best start of the season — seven innings with one unearned run and four strikeouts against San Diego — in what could be the final time he takes the mound as a Marlin. Alcantara is signed relatively affordably for another season and a half with a ’27 club option that could be a bargain if he manages to get on track.

4. David Bednar, RHP, Pirates ($5.9MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)

Bednar had a terrible 2024 and started this season poorly enough that the Pirates optioned him to Triple-A. He’s been nothing short of dominant since coming back up on April 19, posting a 1.54 ERA with a 35.3% strikeout rate across 35 innings. He’s averaging north of 97 MPH on his heater and looks like the two-time All-Star closer he was at his peak. Bednar might be a hair behind the best relievers in MLB but he’s a near-lock to get moved and remains controllable for a season beyond this one.

5. Edward Cabrera, RHP, Marlins ($1.95MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2028)

There aren’t a ton of available pitchers who have a top-of-the-rotation ceiling. Teams could see Cabrera as an exception. He’s a 27-year-old former top prospect with a 97 MPH fastball. Cabrera’s command has let him down in the past, but he owns a career-low 8.1% walk rate this season. Following a shaky April, he sports a 2.47 ERA with a 25.7% strikeout rate while walking fewer than 7% of opponents over his past 13 starts. His sub-$2MM salary and three and a half remaining seasons of arbitration control only add to the appeal. The Marlins aren’t under any financial pressure to move him. They’re nevertheless willing to hear teams out because of his lack of track record and a history of pre-2025 shoulder injuries that have prevented him from reaching 100 MLB innings in a season.

6. Zac Gallen, RHP, Diamondbacks ($13.5MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Gallen is another of Arizona’s impending free agents. He’d also be a qualifying offer candidate if not traded but seems unlikely to re-sign. The 29-year-old righty hasn’t had a good season. He has allowed 5.58 earned runs per nine across 21 starts and surrendered an NL-most 23 home runs. His strikeouts have dipped to a league average 22.2% rate, the lowest of his career. Teams could bet on the multi-year track record. Gallen had been a #2/3 type starter throughout his career up to this year. In a market light on starting pitching, there’ll be teams that believe he’s a tweak away from putting things back together.

7. Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/OF, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

O’Hearn once looked like the best rental bat available. He has certainly fallen behind Suárez and probably back of Naylor in that regard. O’Hearn hasn’t done much since the beginning of June (.208/.315/.328), but he mashed for the first two months of the season. He still carries a strong .280/.374/.451 line with 12 homers on the year. He takes walks, hits the ball hard, and has dramatically cut his strikeout rate over the past two seasons. O’Hearn is playing on a bargain $8MM salary and almost guaranteed to move with the Orioles out of contention and needing to get a look at Coby Mayo.

8. Merrill Kelly, RHP, Diamondbacks ($7MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Kelly is yet another of Arizona’s impending free agents of significance. He has had a better season than Gallen, working to a 3.32 ERA across 122 innings. The 36-year-old righty has punched out 24% of batters faced against a solid 7.6% walk rate. It’s his third season in the past four years with an earned run average in the low-3.00s. If the D-Backs go scorched earth, Kelly would be a sensible target for teams seeking a #3 type starter. Kelly has already signed two affordable contracts over a seven-year run in Arizona. His age would probably limit him to two years on his next deal. He seems likelier than Gallen to be in Arizona’s price range on an extension.

9. Dylan Cease, RHP, Padres ($13.75MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Cease has come up in plenty of rumors over the past few days, with the Cubs and every contender in the AL East among those interested. Trading one of their two best healthy starters would be a big decision for a club occupying a playoff spot. The Padres have never shied away from acting boldly, though, and they’re seemingly open to moving the impending free agent Cease while reallocating money and prospects elsewhere on the roster (e.g. controllable starting pitching, left field). This hasn’t been a banner year for the 29-year-old righty, who carries a 4.59 ERA over 113 2/3 innings. He’s still striking out nearly 30% of opponents while averaging north of 97 MPH on his fastball, so there’ll be plenty of teams willing to bet on him returning to his typical #2 caliber form for the stretch run.

10. Seth Lugo, RHP, Royals ($15MM in 2025, $15MM player option for 2026)

The Royals still seem to be on the fence about moving Lugo, who’ll decline his $15MM player option for next season unless he gets hurt. Kansas City could hold him for a potential long shot playoff push, then make him a qualifying offer or try to sign him to a new multi-year deal. Alternatively, they could cash him in for controllable hitting talent (especially in the outfield). Lugo has mostly matched last year’s Cy Young runner-up performance. He owns a 2.95 ERA with slightly better than average strikeout and walk rates across 19 starts. He doesn’t have typical ace stuff, but it’s tough to argue with a 2.98 earned run average in 52 starts since he signed with Kansas City. Teams would view him as a no-doubt playoff starter. Midseason trades of players who can opt out at year’s end are complicated, but Lugo’s salary is affordable enough that teams should be able to make it work if K.C. sells.

11. Luis Robert Jr., OF, White Sox ($15MM in 2025, $20MM club options/$2MM buyouts for 2026-27)

Robert has underperformed offensively for most of the season. He’s still a plus center fielder who steals bases and crushes left-handed pitching (.294/.422/.544 on the year). Robert has been terrible against right-handers, but he has gone on a well-timed hot streak just before the deadline. The Sox aren’t going to get the huge return they once envisioned, but they should pull the trigger on a trade this month. Robert is controllable via $20MM club options for two more seasons that are borderline at best. He’s probably more of a complementary piece on a contender, yet he has the highest ceiling of any center fielder who is likely to move.

12. Ryan Helsley, RHP, Cardinals ($8.2MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Helsley isn’t having his best season but remains a high-end reliever. He’s pitched to a 3.00 ERA with a 26.1% strikeout rate against an 8.9% walk rate while tallying 21 saves in 26 chances. The five blown saves are more than he had all last season, and his strikeout rate has dipped for a third straight year. The Cards would’ve gotten a bigger return had they dealt Helsley over the winter, but he’ll still command plenty of interest. Helsley himself said this week that while he’d love to stay with the Cardinals, he thinks there’s about a “90 percent chance” he’s traded.

13. Willi Castro, INF/OF, Twins ($6.4MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Castro is a switch-hitting utilityman who should appeal to a number of teams. He’s hitting .254/.342/.423 with 10 homers and league average strikeout and walk numbers. Castro isn’t a great defender anywhere, but he can play second base, third base, and both corner outfield spots (and handle shortstop in a pinch). He’s a better hitter against left-handed pitching but more than holds his own from either side of the plate. As a versatile and affordable impending free agent on a Minnesota team that looks like a seller, he should be on a lot of teams’ target lists. The Yankees are reportedly among the clubs with interest.

14. Dennis Santana, RHP, Pirates ($1.4MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)

Not a lot has gone right for the Pirates in recent years, but last June’s waiver claim of Santana has panned out brilliantly. The hard-throwing righty had flashed potential at various points but never put it all together until joining the Buccos. Since landing in Pittsburgh, the 29-year-old righty has pitched 87 2/3 innings of 1.95 ERA ball with a 25.3% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate. That includes a sterling 1.45 ERA and 5.5% walk rate this season. Santana isn’t piling up strikeouts this year (21.3%), but his 13.1% swinging-strike rate is a plus mark that suggests more punchouts could be in the tank. Because of his modest pre-Pirates track record, he’s making only $1.4MM this year — and he’s controllable through the 2026 season.

15. Raisel Iglesias, RHP, Braves ($16MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Atlanta’s closer got out to an awful start in 2025 and had one recent blow-up, but he’s still looking far more like his vintage self lately than his baseline numbers would indicate. Iglesias’ 4.99 ERA is an eyesore, but since June 1 he’s turned in 15 2/3 innings with a 2.30 ERA and 21-to-3 K/BB ratio. All four of the runs he’s allowed in that time came in one ugly outing against the Yankees on July 19. His $16MM salary is steep — there’s about $5.6MM of it yet to be paid out — but the 35-year-old increasingly appears to be rounding into form at the right time for a Braves club that seems quite likely to sell off its impending free agents.

16. Marcell Ozuna, DH, Braves ($16MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Speaking of Braves impending free agents — Ozuna also seems quite likely to go. He’s earning the same salary and thus has the same ~$5.6MM to be paid out. His season has been the inverse of Iglesias’, however. After a strong start to the year, Ozuna’s bat cratered beginning in June. He’s hitting just .174/.266/.297 across his past 159 plate appearances and has lost his starting role in Atlanta. Ozuna was hobbled by some hip troubles earlier in the year but said recently he’s healthy now. It’s possible, though, that his mechanics were impacted by that hip issue and he’s still working to correct some things. Ozuna’s track record is well known, and in a thin market for bats he should still draw interest, particularly if Atlanta is willing to pay down some of his salary.

17. Charlie Morton, RHP, Orioles ($15MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Morton’s atrocious April has tanked his season numbers and resulted in a brief move to the bullpen. The veteran righty has been far better since returning to the rotation on May 26, rattling off a 3.81 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate over his past 10 starts. He looks like the mid-rotation Morton of the past few seasons, and his stuff has held steady despite his age. He’s now the top trade chip of Baltimore’s trio of rental starting pitchers. His $15MM salary will be an impediment to some teams, but Baltimore could pay that down a bit to get a mid-level prospect in return.

18. Ramon Laureano, OF, Orioles ($4MM in 2025, $6.5MM club option for 2026)

Laureano has been a nice pickup for Baltimore on a $4MM free agent deal. He has drilled 14 homers with a .273/.332/.512 slash line in 268 plate appearances. This is the best he’s looked since his strong first two seasons with the Athletics. He’s a right-handed hitter who has generally been better against lefty pitching over his career. He’s hitting pitchers of either handedness this season, and there’s a cheap club option for next year that adds to the appeal. Baltimore should take the opportunity to flip him to a club that needs a left fielder.

19. Harrison Bader, OF, Twins ($4MM in 2025 plus $1.5MM buyout on mutual option for 2026)

Bader’s glove remains as excellent as ever, and he’s arguably in the midst of a career season at the plate. In 291 turns at the dish, he’s slashed .250/.333/.434 (115 wRC+) with a dozen homers — already matching his total from last year in a much larger sample of 437 plate appearances. Bader has played primarily left field in deference to Byron Buxton but is a plus-plus defender all over the outfield. He’s 9-for-13 in stolen bases. He should appeal to any team looking for center field help or a right-handed bat to complement a set of lefty-swinging outfielders. The mutual option on his contract is a moot point; it’s been more than a decade since both team and player exercised a mutual option anywhere in MLB. He’ll be a free agent.

20. Jeffrey Springs, LHP, Athletics ($10.5MM in 2025, $10.5MM in 2026, $15MM club option/$750K buyout for 2027)

The A’s traded a Competitive Balance draft pick (Round A), righty Joe Boyle and a pair of prospects for three years of control over Springs this past offseason. He broke out as a strong reliever with the 2021 Rays and, upon moving to the rotation in 2022, pitched like a borderline ace for 151 innings before requiring Tommy John surgery early in ’23. Springs looked great in his late-season return last year, but he’s pitched more like a fourth starter in ’25, with a 4.13 ERA, 18.9% strikeout rate and 7.8% walk rate in 120 innings. Even if he’s “only” a mid-rotation or back-end arm, he’s still priced well below market value and has two full seasons of control following the 2025 season. The A’s need pitching, but they also need younger, more controllable arms to align with their impressive collection of young bats. Trading Springs could net just that while clearing payroll to shop in the middle tiers of the free agent pitching market.

21. JP Sears, LHP, Athletics (pre-arbitration, controllable through 2028)

Sears is a more affordable A’s starter whom the club controls for three seasons beyond this one. They’d need a stronger return to move him than they would to deal Springs. Still, he’s a 29-year-old lefty who has leveled off as a fourth/fifth starter. Sears hasn’t missed a start in the past three seasons and has plus command. He sits in the low-90s with below-average whiff rates and gives up a lot of home runs — an already existing issue exacerbated by the temporary move to a hitter-friendly park in Sacramento.

22. Zack Littell, RHP, Rays ($5.72MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The Rays find themselves on the bubble and could straddle between buying and selling. If they do, Littell is their most straightforward trade candidate. They could weather his loss in the rotation, particularly if Shane McClanahan can make a late-season return from various arm injuries, while getting something in return for an impending free agent. Littell has elite control that allows him to find success despite subpar whiff and home run rates. He wouldn’t be a consideration for a qualifying offer and might not crack Tampa Bay’s playoff rotation if they qualify. Flipping him to another contender that needs a more stable fourth/fifth starter for a modest return makes sense.

23. Adrian Houser, RHP, White Sox ($1.35MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

The Sox signed Houser to a cheap one-year deal in May after he’d opted out of a minor league contract with Texas. He has turned in a 2.10 ERA over 11 starts, averaging more than six innings per appearance along the way. Houser has managed nine quality starts despite a below-average 17.1% strikeout rate. Teams aren’t going to buy the journeyman righty as a newfound ace, but he has pitched well enough to net the Sox a lottery ticket prospect.

24. Michael Soroka, RHP, Nationals ($9MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Soroka’s return to a starting rotation this year hasn’t been entirely smooth. He’s sitting on a 4.85 ERA and averaging barely over five innings per start. That said, he’s gotten stronger as the season has worn on, pitching to a more respectable 4.21 ERA over his past nine trips to the hill. Much of the damage in that span came in one seven-run shellacking at the hands of the Red Sox. Over his past nine turns, he’s also fanned 28% of his opponents. Soroka was excellent as a reliever after the White Sox put him in the ’pen last summer, and a contending team could look to do the same this time around — though some teams may still covet him as a back-end starter with a tinge of upside.

25. Cedric Mullins, OF, Orioles ($8.725MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

One of the few viable center fielders on the market, the 30-year-old Mullins got out to the best start of his career with a torrid April but has slumped through three sub-par months since, leaving him with a pedestrian .215/.293/.396 batting line (93 wRC+) on the season. Even with the downturn at the plate, Mullins has a nice blend of power and speed — 13 homers, 14 steals — in addition to a track record as at least an average hitter (with 30-30 upside at his 2021 peak).

26. Pierce Johnson, RHP, Braves ($7MM in 2025, $7MM club option/$250K buyout for 2026)

Atlanta is reportedly prioritizing moving their three rentals — Igleisas, Ozuna and middle reliever Rafael Montero. Johnson may be their biggest exception in a willingness to listen on players who are controllable past this season. He’s a 34-year-old reliever in the middle of his best season: a 2.70 ERA with a 27% strikeout rate and a career-low 7% walk percentage. The veteran righty has a multi-year track record as a solid seventh/eighth inning type. Next year’s affordable club option should make him a nice trade chip, and while Atlanta could hold him and exercise the option themselves, it makes more sense to flip him to a team that could get two playoff races out of him.

27. Seranthony Dominguez, RHP, Orioles ($8MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

One of the hardest-throwing relievers on the market, the 30-year-old Dominguez is averaging 97.7 MPH on his four-seamer and 97.9 MPH on his sinker. He’s punched out 31% of his opponents while working to a 3.32 ERA and collecting 13 holds and a pair of saves. Dominguez has had command troubles at times in the past, but his location has been particularly scattershot in 2025, when he’s posted a 14% walk rate and tossed nine wild pitches. He can be erratic, but a new team would have two months to get his command back on track — Dominguez had a much more manageable 9% walk rate from 2023-24 — and this is the type of power arm that contenders covet to get pivotal postseason outs. Baltimore already moved lefty Gregory Soto, and Dominguez is sure to follow.

28. Danny Coulombe, LHP, Twins ($3MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

On the surface, a soft-tossing 35-year-old lefty reliever doesn’t sound like a huge difference-maker … but Coulombe’s 0.90 ERA, 25.6% strikeout rate and 6.8% walk rate in 30 innings all suggest otherwise. Even though he averages just over 90 MPH on his four-seamer, Coulombe boasts a terrific 13.8% swinging-strike rate. His splits against righties and lefties are practically identical. No one’s hitting him this year, and he’s quietly been terrific since 2020 (2.36 ERA in 160 1/3 innings). He may not be a big name, but he’s been a big performer for several years now and can help any contender’s bullpen.

29. Phil Maton, RHP, Cardinals ($2MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Maton is one of the likeliest players in the league to be dealt. He’s an impending free agent setup man who’d fit every team’s budget on a bargain $2MM salary. He carries a 2.35 ERA with excellent strikeout (30.4%) and ground-ball (50.6%) rates. The league has never valued Maton as highly as his statistical track record probably merits. His fastball barely gets above 90 MPH, but he shows year after year that he’s capable of missing bats and avoiding hard contact behind a mid-70s curveball.

30. Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Nationals ($6MM in 2025 [$4MM deferred], free agent at season’s end)

The Nationals opted not to trade Finnegan at last year’s deadline, and he struggled through a brutal second half before being non-tendered in the offseason. The Nats wound up re-signing him after a market to Finnegan’s liking never truly materialized. He’s run into a brutal stretch recently, with 10 runs allowed over his past 2 2/3 innings, but prior to that he’d turned in a 2.36 ERA. Finnegan has never missed bats like you’d expect from someone with his velocity (96.2 MPH average fastball in ’25 but 97.2 MPH from 2022-24). Other clubs surely feel he’s better suited in a middle relief or setup capacity than in the highest-leverage spot in a bullpen, as the Nats have used him. An affordable power arm with some late-inning track record for a last place team feels like someone who should change hands this time around.

31. Ke’Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pirates ($7MM annually in 2025-27, $8MM annually in 2028-29, $12MM club option/$6MM buyout in 2030)

A little over three years ago, Hayes signed a $70MM extension that was then the largest investment in Pirates history. They certainly expected it to age better than it has. Hayes was then and remains one of the best defensive third basemen in the game. He’d been a slightly below-average hitter for his first few seasons, but his bat has completely tanked over the past two years. Hayes had a .573 OPS last season and has a similarly bleak .240/.285/.297 slash line this year. He spent time on the injured list each season between 2022-24 due to recurring back injuries.

Hayes hasn’t needed any time on the IL this year, but it’s increasingly difficult to see much untapped offensive upside. He’s in his age-28 season and has managed a combined six home runs over the past two seasons. Pittsburgh slightly frontloaded his extension, so he’ll make between $7-8MM per season for the next four and a half years. That’s a manageable amount and arguably still has some surplus value based on the strength of his glove, but it appears the Pirates are willing to move on as they continue to search for ways to improve the offense.

32. Taj Bradley, RHP, Rays (pre-arbitration, controllable through 2029)

While a Littell trade would be the simplest move if the Rays deal from their rotation, they’ve reportedly made Bradley available as well. The 24-year-old righty and former top prospect has had an inconsistent season, posting a 4.61 ERA with slightly worse than average peripherals over 111 1/3 innings. He failed to get past the second inning while allowing four runs against the White Sox his last time out. That cost him his spot on the active roster, as the Rays demoted him to Triple-A to clear a rotation spot for Joe Boyle. The Rays still control Bradley for three and a half seasons, so they’re not facing any urgency to move him even if they’ve soured on his long-term future. In a market with limited controllable starting pitching available, they should get plenty of calls from teams hoping he can unlock mid-rotation upside.

33. Emmanuel Clase, RHP, Guardians ($4.5MM in 2025, $6MM in 2026, $13MM club options/$2MM buyouts for 2028-29)

A 10-game losing streak shortly before the All-Star Break dropped the Guardians out of playoff position. They’ve played well over the past couple weeks to pull back into the mix, currently sitting 2.5 back of the final Wild Card spot. They’re hardly surefire sellers, especially with one of the easier schedules the rest of the way. They’re nevertheless at least willing to hear teams out on Clase, which is in line with their general operating procedure. He’s arguably the sport’s best reliever and is signed at bargain rates for the next season and a half with manageable club options for another two years after that. The Guardians could view Cade Smith as a closer in waiting. It’d take a massive haul, but it’s at least worth considering whether another club is willing to blow them away with controllable outfield or starting pitching talent.

34. Jhoan Duran, RHP, Twins ($4.125MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

35. Griffin Jax, RHP, Twins ($2.365MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

Duran and Jax have been tied together in trade rumors as late-inning weapons in Minnesota. It’s highly unlikely that the Twins would trade both — even moving one is far from guaranteed — but they’re at least hearing teams out to see if anyone is willing to meet their ask of multiple top prospects. The 27-year-old Duran throws harder than anyone aside from Mason Miller and has a 1.90 ERA with 16 saves in 18 chances.

Jax, a 30-year-old setup man, isn’t as consistently dominant as Duran but misses even more bats. He has punched out 37% of opponents this year after fanning 34% of batters faced a season ago. A .375 average on balls in play against him has led to an even 4.00 ERA across 45 innings. Teams, including the Twins, will expect that to level out and continue to view Jax as an elite back-end arm.

36. Jake Bird, RHP, Rockies (pre-arbitration in 2025, controllable through 2028)

The Rox are more open to selling controllable pieces than they’ve been in years past. That’s been reported for weeks and was proven true by the McMahon trade. Bird, a 29-year-old middle reliever with three and a half seasons of arbitration control, should bring back a solid return. He has struck out 27% of opponents this season and gotten strong ground-ball rates throughout his career. Bird carried a 2.06 earned run average as recently as a month ago. That has climbed to 4.05 thanks to a brutal stretch of 14 earned runs allowed in his last 9 2/3 innings. It’s an inopportune time for him to struggle, but the excellence of his first three months should still have him on contenders’ radars.

37. Jesus Sanchez, OF, Marlins ($4.5MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

Sanchez has been a league average right fielder for the past couple seasons. He’s a solid but unexceptional hitter who plays competent defense but isn’t a fit for more than stopgap work in center field. The lefty-hitting outfielder owns a .261/.324/.419 line with nine homers in 321 plate appearances this year. He’s controllable for two seasons beyond this one but his arbitration salaries won’t be particularly strong bargains.

38. Anthony Bender, RHP, Marlins ($1.42MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

The Marlins are playing well of late but should still be open to offers on Bender, a 30-year-old setup man. His 1.87 ERA over 43 1/3 innings isn’t supported by this year’s below-average strikeout (19.7%) and walk (10.4%) rates, but he’s only a season removed from striking out 26% of opposing hitters. Bender gets ground-balls, has a plus sweeper, and sits close to 97 MPH on his fastball. He hasn’t accrued much in arbitration earnings because a back injury and subsequent Tommy John surgery wiped out almost all of his 2022-23 seasons. He should be a controllable matchup piece in the middle innings for a contender.

39. Andrew Kittredge, RHP, Orioles ($9MM in 2025, $9MM club option/$1MM buyout in 2026)

Kittredge lost the first two months of the season to a left knee injury that required minor surgery. He has been healthy since May and turned in a 3.81 ERA while striking out just under a quarter of opponents in 28 1/3 innings. He’s playing on a $9MM salary and has a matching club option that isn’t unreasonable. Baltimore should move the 35-year-old righty even though he’s not strictly a rental. Kittredge has plenty of leverage experience and is a season removed from leading the National League in holds for St. Louis.

40. Zach Eflin, RHP, Orioles ($18MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Eflin would have been a highly sought after rental starter a couple months ago. That’s not so much the case anymore, though the O’s will be motivated to find a taker for at least a portion of what remains on his hefty $18MM salary. Eflin tossed three straight quality starts to begin the season before suffering a lat strain. He was bombed for an ERA north of 7.00 in nine appearances after his return, then suffered a back injury that sent him to the IL again. He made his return on Wednesday and held the Guardians to two runs with five strikeouts in as many innings. For what’d be a modest prospect return, a contender should take a flier on a pitcher who had an ERA around 3.50 in each of the previous two seasons.

41. Adolis Garcia, OF, Rangers ($9.25MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)

Garcia’s numbers have tanked since his career-best 2023 season. He has been a below-average hitter in consecutive seasons. That includes a .228/.271/.397 line across 399 plate appearances this year. Texas has limited payroll flexibility under the luxury tax and could try to shed the remaining portion of Garcia’s $9.25MM salary to clear space for a run at a bigger bat.

42. Mike Tauchman, OF, White Sox ($1.95MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2026)

Tauchman is a strong-side platoon corner outfielder. He’s signed for less than $2MM and hitting .283/.370/.462 with six homers across 211 plate appearances for a rebuilding Sox team. Tauchman has reached base at greater than a .350 clip in three consecutive seasons. He should fetch the Sox a lottery ticket prospect and comes with another season of arbitration control.

43. Luis Severino, RHP, Athletics ($15MM in 2025, $20MM in 2026, $22MM player option for 2027)

Severino’s franchise-record free agent contract has not started well. The veteran righty has publicly expressed his displeasure with the A’s playing at a minor league home park — a bizarre stance for a player who was aware of the stadium situation when he signed there for more money than most expected last offseason. There’s been a lot of attention to Severino’s dramatic home/away ERA splits. He’s allowing 6.68 earned runs per nine in Sacramento versus a 3.03 mark on the road. That superficial analysis doesn’t account for Severino’s well below-average 15.2% strikeout rate away from home. The A’s would probably welcome the opportunity to move on, but his escalating salaries and the ability to opt out after next season make this a tough contract to trade.

44. Alek Thomas, OF, Diamondbacks (pre-arbitration, controllable through 2028)

The Diamondbacks may be more focused on rentals, but they could also trade a controllable outfielder if it allows them to net upper minors pitching. Thomas, 25, is a former top prospect who hasn’t developed as hoped offensively. He’s hitting .246/.294/.366 with five homers and a career-worst 26.4% strikeout rate in 292 plate appearances. Thomas is viewed as a strong defensive center fielder and is under club control for another three seasons. Teams could view him as a developmental project at the plate who’d at least come with a solid floor for his glove.

45. Max Kepler, OF, Phillies ($10MM in 2025, free agent at season’s end)

Signing Kepler to a $10MM free agent deal has been a disappointment for the Phillies. He’s hitting .201/.300/.362 with 11 homers in 338 plate appearances. The left-handed hitting Kepler expressed some dissatisfaction with his lack of opportunities against lefty pitching. He hasn’t hit right-handed pitching well this year either, so the Phils are searching for an upgrade in left field. Even if they don’t land one on the trade market, former first-round pick Justin Crawford looms in the upper minors. They could try to get out from the final few million dollars of Kepler’s contract.

46. Robert Suarez, RHP, Padres ($10MM in 2025, can opt out of annual $8MM salaries for 2026-27)

MLB’s saves leader with 29, Suarez is at the back of a fantastic San Diego bullpen. His 3.46 ERA across 41 2/3 innings is more solid than dominant, but that’s mostly due to a pair of blow-ups in a relatively small sample. Suarez is reliable on most nights and has plus velocity with strong strikeout and walk numbers. A trade is a long shot but would follow a similar logic to the reason to listen on Cease. He’s likely to become a free agent — though he has the safety net of two years and $16MM if he suffers a late-season injury — and San Diego could flip him for help elsewhere on the roster and a few million dollars in cost savings. One of Jeremiah Estrada or Jason Adam could step into the ninth inning in that situation.

47. Shane Bieber, RHP, Guardians ($10MM in 2025, $16MM player option/$4MM buyout for 2026)

Cleveland is reportedly open to offers on Bieber, who has yet to make his big league return from last season’s Tommy John procedure. He’s on a rehab assignment and could be back for the final month or so of the year. He’s a wild card in terms of both health and performance. The former Cy Young winner had looked more like a #3 starter in his last full healthy season in 2023, but he’d reeled off a pair of brilliant starts to begin last year before his elbow blew out.

48. Brendan Donovan, 2B/OF, Cardinals ($2.85MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

The Cardinals are reportedly willing to listen on Donovan, who is controlled for two more seasons. The Dodgers are among the teams that have shown interest. The asking price is predictably high, as one would expect for a versatile left-handed hitter with a .293/.360/.428 slash line. Donovan has been a well above-average bat in all four seasons of his career.

49. Steven Kwan, OF, Guardians ($4.175MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

If the Guardians made him available, Kwan would be a top target for teams in need of an outfielder. He’s probably the sport’s best defensive left fielder. He walks more often than he strikes out and is an ideal leadoff hitter. Kwan carries a .287/.352/.410 slash through 424 plate appearances this season. He’s cheaply controllable for another two years. The Guardians would demand a monster haul to consider moving him.

50. Joe Ryan, RHP, Twins ($3MM in 2025, arbitration-eligible through 2027)

If the Twins are seeking multiple top prospects for Duran and Jax, one can only imagine the asking price on Ryan. He’s a high-end #2 starter who is cheaply controllable for two and a half seasons. Ryan is in the middle of a career season: a 2.63 ERA with a 29.2% strikeout percentage and a 5.1% walk rate across 116 1/3 innings. Even if the Twins feel they’re out of contention, they won’t be keen on parting with a pitcher who should anchor their 2026-27 rotations.

Others To Watch

A’s: Mason Miller, Sean Newcomb, Tyler Soderstrom, Luis Urias

Angels: Tyler Anderson, Kenley Jansen, Yoan Moncada, Luis Rengifo, Taylor Ward

Astros: Chas McCormick

Braves: Aaron Bummer

Brewers: Nestor Cortes, Jose Quintana

Cardinals: Erick Fedde (currently in DFA limbo), Nolan Gorman, John King, Steven Matz, JoJo Romero, Jordan Walker

Diamondbacks: Jalen Beeks, Kevin Ginkel, Randal Grichuk, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jake McCarthy, Shelby Miller

Dodgers: Dustin May

Guardians: Carlos Santana, Paul Sewald (currently on IL), Cade Smith

Marlins: Calvin Faucher, Nick Fortes, Ronny Henriquez, Dane Myers, Cal Quantrill

Nationals: Josh Bell, Andrew Chafin, Jose A. Ferrer, MacKenzie Gore, Nathaniel Lowe, Amed Rosario

Orioles: Keegan Akin (currently on IL), Ryan Mountcastle (currently on IL),  Trevor Rogers, Gary Sanchez (currently on IL), Tomoyuki Sugano, Ramon Urias

Phillies: Nick Castellanos

Pirates: Oneil Cruz, Bailey Falter, Caleb Ferguson, Andrew Heaney, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Tommy Pham, Bryan Reynolds

Rangers: Jon Gray, Jonah Heim

Rays: Yandy Diaz, Danny Jansen, Brandon Lowe, Christopher Morel, Pete Fairbanks

Red Sox: Walker Buehler, Jarren Duran, Masataka Yoshida

Rockies: Thairo Estrada, Jimmy Herget, Victor Vodnik

Royals: Kris Bubic, John Schreiber

Twins: Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach, Chris Paddack, Brock Stewart, Christian Vazquez

White Sox: Andrew Benintendi, Aaron Civale, Grant Taylor

Yankees Acquire Amed Rosario

By | at

The Yankees are poised to acquire infielder Amed Rosario from the Nationals, per a report from Jack Curry of YES Network. New York will send right-hander Clayton Beeter and outfielder Browm Martinez to the Nationals in exchange for Rosario’s services. Both clubs subsequently announced the deal. Both Rosario and Beeter were already on their club’s 40-man roster, meaning no further roster maneuvering was necessary to complete the transaction.

A former top prospect who spent the first four seasons of his career with the Mets, Rosario returns home to New York but will now suit up for the Bronx down the stretch. The 29-year-old has now been moved at the trade deadline in three consecutive seasons and figures to offer the same value to the Yankees that he offered to the Dodgers and Reds in recent years: a versatile, right-handed bat capable of crushing left-handed pitching. Rosario’s overall slash line of .270/.310/.426 (105 wRC+) this year is solid but not especially exceptional, but a look under the hood reveals an excellent 126 wRC+ in 93 trips to the plate against southpaws this season. That’s par for the course for Rosario, who has posted a 120 wRC+ against lefties for his career across nine seasons in the big leagues.

A Yankees team that ranks as the best offense in baseball against left-handed pitching (120 wRC+) this year may not seem like an obvious candidate for a lefty masher like Rosario, but a great deal of that production comes from Aaron Judge and his absurd 219 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. Even setting aside the fact that Judge is headed for the injured list due to a flexor strain in his elbow, lefty hitters in the lineup like Trent Grisham (78 wRC+), Ben Rice (89 wRC+), and Jazz Chisholm Jr. (76 wRC+) all have below-average numbers against same-handed pitching this year. Rosario has handled every position on the diamond except for first base and catcher during his career, so he should be able to spell a number of those players against lefties as needed.

His most likely platoon partner appears to be fellow deadline acquisition Ryan McMahon, however. McMahon appears ticketed for a regular role as the club’s third baseman, but has an anemic 58 wRC+ against left-handed pitching. Plugging Rosario (who has spent parts of nine seasons at shortstop in addition to 30 career starts at the hot corner) into the lineup at third in McMahon’s place against lefties would afford the Yankees an extremely effective platoon at the position, turning a longtime soft spot in the club’s lineup into a clear strength. The moves to add McMahon and Rosario seem likely to take the Yankees out of the market for further infield help. They had been tied previously to prominent names on the trade market like Eugenio Suarez and Willi Castro, but now seem much more likely to focus their deadline efforts on improving a pitching staff beleaguered by injuries over the final days leading up to the deadline.

As for the Nationals, the club makes its first sell-side trade of the summer and in doing so adds a pair of prospects who could contribute in the future. Clayton Beeter is the bigger name of the two, a top 20 prospect in New York’s system according to MLB Pipeline who has already made five career appearances in the big leagues. A second-round pick by the Dodgers in 2020, Beeter has surrendered eight runs on nine hits and five walks while striking out six across 7 1/3 innings of work in the majors so far but has looked impressive at Triple-A for the Yankees over each of the past two seasons, with a 2.56 ERA over 56 1/3 innings of work at the level since the start of the 2024 campaign.

Beeter has struck out a very impressive 35.1% of opponents at the level this year, although his 17.0% walk rate suggests some serious issues with Beeter’s command. Even so, a controllable relief arm who’s already on the cusp of the big leagues and is capable of throwing multiple innings is an intriguing addition for a Nationals club that has the worst bullpen ERA in the major leagues this year. In addition to Beeter, the Nats have also acquired Martinez. The 18-year-old outfielder signed with the Yankees out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut last year. He’s yet to make his stateside debut but has slashed an incredible .404/.507/.632 in 18 games in the Dominican Summer League this year. Browm is surely years away from the majors and is unranked within the Yankees’ system, but could be an exciting prospect for the Nationals if he can continue to prove himself after he begins his stateside career.

Going forward, the Nationals figure to continue listening on a number of other trade candidates on their roster. Right-handers Kyle Finnegan and Michael Soroka are perhaps the most noteworthy potential rentals the club could move, but Josh Bell and Andrew Chafin are also pending free agents. Perhaps the Nationals will listen on some more controllable pieces like first baseman Nathaniel Lowe as well, although it would be a shock to see the club move someone more valuable like prized left-hander MacKenzie Gore.

Royals Acquire Randal Grichuk

By | at

The Diamondbacks’ sell-off continues this evening as they’re trading outfielder Randal Grichuk to the Royals, according to a report from Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that right-hander Andrew Hoffmann is headed to Arizona in exchange for Grichuk’s services. John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix reports that Hoffmann, who is already on the 40-man roster, will be assigned to Triple-A Reno by the Diamondbacks once the trade becomes official. Both teams subsequently announced the trade.

Grichuk, 34 next month, is a veteran of 12 MLB seasons who has spent the past two years in Arizona. While he played mostly center field for the Cardinals and Blue Jays in his younger days, more recently Grichuk has fashioned a role for himself as a corner outfielder who primarily chips in against left-handed pitching. That’s certainly a piece the Royals could make use of, as they’ve gotten the least production from their outfield in the majors by measure of wRC+ (64) and fWAR (-2.4) this year. Kansas City has also been well below average (74 wRC+) against left-handed pitching this year; only six teams have been less productive at the dish against opposing southpaws.

The Royals are relying on an outfield mix of Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, and John Rave this year with MJ Melendez and Tyler Tolbert occasionally chipping in as well. Tolbert’s 77 wRC+ leads that quintet of players as things stand, meaning that even as Grichuk’s production has dipped substantially this year he’ll still be a major upgrade for the Kansas City offense. Grichuk is hitting .243/.280/.462 with a wRC+ of 99 in 186 plate appearances this year. That jumps up to a 102 wRC+ when looking at his work against lefties, which should be more than enough to make him a regular fixture of the club’s lineup against southpaws. While Arizona’s crowded outfield mix means that Grichuk only saw token usage against right-handers during his time with the Diamondbacks, the Royals’ weak outfield mix and Grichuk’s decent 92 wRC+ could mean an uptick in playing time for the veteran against same-handed pitchers as well.

The deal is the latest sign that the Royals view themselves as potential contenders at this point in the season. The club is 51-53 at the moment, two games below .500 and 3.5 games out of an AL Wild Card spot. Fangraphs gives the club a 13.0% chance of reaching the playoffs based on their current projections, but with other bubble teams like the Rays, Guardians, and Twins at least seeming to consider selling in some capacity it seems as though Kansas City is staying the course and making moves to add low-cost veterans on expiring contracts like tonight’s Grichuk deal and the trade for second baseman Adam Frazier earlier this month. While sell-side trades can’t be completely ruled out, the Royals already seemed somewhat hesitant to deal veteran right-hander Seth Lugo even before today’s move to bring in Grichuk. It wouldn’t be the first time a team has both bought and sold at a trade deadline if the Royals did ultimately decide to part with Lugo (or another speculated trade candidate like Kris Bubic), but this latest addition seems likely to push them further into the buyer’s lane than they had been previously.

As for the Diamondbacks, this trade pushes them further into the seller lane after they dealt first baseman Josh Naylor to Seattle earlier this week. With two of the club’s many rentals on expiring contracts now out the door, deals involving other rental pieces like third baseman Eugenio Suarez, right-hander Zac Gallen, and righty Merrill Kelly are all the more likely. The Diamondbacks are, themselves, just four games out of a Wild Card spot with an identical 51-53 record to the Royals. With that being said, Arizona’s decision to sell makes plenty of sense considering the number of high profile impending free agents on the roster ticketed for free agency this November. With ace Corbin Burnes and leverage arms like A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez done for the 2025 season already, reloading the roster with young talent ahead of what they’re surely hoping will be a return to contention in 2026 makes plenty of sense.

In the case of this trade, that young talent comes in the form of Hoffmann, a right-hander who made his big league debut with the Royals earlier this year. The 25-year-old has just 3 MLB games under his belt, during which he posted a 3.86 ERA with four walks and five strikeouts across 4 2/3 innings of work. Despite that meager sample size at the big league level, Hoffmann has been nothing short of excellent at Triple-A this year. The righty has pitched to a 2.32 ERA across 40 innings of work with Kansas City’s Omaha affiliate, and in that time he’s struck out 33.3% of his opponents while walking just 6.1%.

Those are strong numbers, and while he was not considered one of the club’s top prospects entering the 2025 campaign it’s hardly surprising that the Diamondbacks would be interested in the right-hander. Arizona has made clear that adding young pitching talent is their top priority this summer, and Hoffmann comes to the club as a big-league ready reliever who has just a few days of MLB service time under his belt. Hoffmann joins lefty Brandyn Garcia and prospect Ashton Izzi as a part of the wave of pitching Mike Hazen’s front office is looking to create after Garcia and Izzi both came over as the return for Naylor earlier this week.

Aaron Judge Undergoing Testing For “Elbow Issue”

By | at

Aaron Judge isn’t in the Yankees’ starting lineup, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including YES Network’s Jack Curry, NJ Advance Media’s Max Goodman, and the New York Post’s Joel Sherman) that the superstar is undergoing testing on what Boone described as an “elbow issue.”  Judge had some difficulty making throws from right field in yesterday’s 12-5 loss to the Phillies, so the scans were ordered to examine what exactly is wrong with the reigning AL MVP’s right arm.

It appears as though the injury initially took place in Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Blue Jays, as Judge was seen grimacing after making a throw from deep right field.  Boone said Judge seemed to be feeling fine after Thursday’s off-day, yet the discomfort resurfaced during Friday’s game.

More will be known when the results of the tests are in, and Boone didn’t comment on the seriousness of the potential injury.  Needless to say, the Yankees and their fans are dearly hoping that Judge’s elbow doesn’t have any structural damage, as a significant injury would be devastating to New York’s postseason chances, let alone its chances of a return trip to the World Series.

Judge is in the midst of yet another incredible season, as he leads the majors in all three slash categories (.342/.449/.711), hits (129), total bases (268), and both fWAR (7.2) and bWAR (6.8).  Judge has an unreal 208 wRC+, which would be tied for 15th on the all-time single-season wRC+ list.  It would also mark the third time in the last four seasons that Judge has topped the 200 wRC+ mark, following his 206 wRC+ in 2022 and his 219 wRC+ in 2024.  Those other two seasons saw Judge win AL MVP honors, and he and the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh are far and away the top two favorites for this year’s award.

A stint on the injured list could throw a wrench into the MVP race, but more importantly, into the Yankees’ hopes of contention.  New York’s once-healthy lead in the AL East has been erased by a 14-22 record over its last 36 games, and a subsequent surge by the Blue Jays has elevated Toronto to both the best record in baseball and 5.5-game advantage over the Yankees in the AL East.  The Yankees are still the top AL wild card team, though their 56-47 record doesn’t provide much cushion over the Rangers, whose 54-50 record leads the list of American League clubs below the playoff line.

A day-to-day type of injury for Judge would therefore still hamper the Yankees, even if it naturally represents the best-case scenario in the bigger picture.  The Bronx Bombers’ next off-day isn’t until August 7, so the team doesn’t even have the benefit of a break in the schedule to give Judge some built-in rest.  If the soreness persists for Judge, a 10-day IL stint might be in the cards for precautionary reasons, even if the scans come back clean.

On paper, the Yankees have enough depth to manage this scenario.  Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham, and Jasson Dominguez become the everyday outfield trio, and Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice split the DH at-bats, with potentially a new right-handed hitting infield type also added to the depth chart to bring more balance to a lineup that would tilt even further to the left if Judge is sidelined.  This is probably enough to get the team by over a short-term absence for Judge, and perhaps the one silver lining to the situation is that it came in advance of the trade deadline, so the front office can adjust their buying plans if Judge will indeed miss time.

That said, obviously there’s no way to actually replace a talent like Judge.  If he is forced to miss an extended amount of time, it isn’t a reach to suggest that the injury could torpedo New York’s season.  While the Yankees have some of the best overall offensive numbers of any team in baseball, Judge is such a singular focal point within the lineup that losing him would suddenly put the spotlight on the more inconsistent nature of New York’s other hitters.

Yankees Acquire Ryan McMahon

By | at

The Yankees have a new third baseman. New York announced the acquisition of Ryan McMahon from the Rockies for pitching prospects Griffin Herring and Josh Grosz. The Yanks already had an opening on the 40-man roster, so no additional move was necessary.

The Yankees are taking on the remainder of McMahon’s contract. He is making a $12MM salary this year, leaving a bit more than $4MM to be paid out, then will make $16MM in each of the next two seasons.

McMahon, 30, will join a new franchise for the first time in his career. He was drafted by the Rockies in the second round of the 2013 draft. He climbed up to the majors and eventually established himself as a regular in Colorado, playing quality defense at multiple infield positions.

It’s hard to say what the Yankees will be getting from McMahon offensively. He has generally been good for 20-25 home runs a year, though while playing his home games in the hitters’ haven of Coors Field and with some high strikeout totals. Despite some good surface-level stats, he’s generally been ranked as a subpar hitter by metrics that adjust for the Coors effect. He has a career batting line of .240/.323/.420 but a wRC+ of 89. In other words, that metric considers him 11% worse than league average at the plate.

For his career, McMahon has hit .263/.343/.476 at home and .216/.302/.362 on the road, obviously a huge difference. At first glance, that might suggest he can only hit in Denver and will fall to pieces in a new jersey. The truth is likely more nuanced than that. Pitches move differently at elevation than they do at sea level due to the differences in resistance or drag. Most notably, breaking balls move less in Denver than in other parks, so it’s tough for Colorado hitters to constantly adjust as they go on the road and back.

Over the years, many players have had big home-road splits as Rockies but then evened out after leaving Denver. One such player is DJ LeMahieu, who also moved from the Rockies to the Yankees. During his time with Colorado, LeMahieu hit .329/.386/.447 at Coors but just .267/.314/.367 on the road. When he left Denver for the Bronx, the move wasn’t difficult for him at all. He slashed .336/.386/.536 over his first two seasons with the Yankees.

In terms of the glovework, there’s little question that McMahon is strong there. He has played lots of first base and second base in his career but has settled in as Colorado’s third baseman. The Yanks will surely keep him at the hot corner. They recently moved Jazz Chisholm Jr. from third to second, both due to his personal comfort level and some shoulder soreness he was experiencing. That led to LeMahieu getting bumped off the roster and released.

They’ve been connected to various third basemen for weeks, including McMahon, Eugenio Suárez and others. In the meantime, they’ve been covering the position with Oswald Peraza and Jorbit Vivas. Neither of those two have been hitting well this year. Vivas has a .164/.270/.255 line this year while Peraza is at .147/.208/.237.

For McMahon’s career, he has 5,550 innings at third. He’s been credited with 64 Defensive Runs Saved and 44 Outs Above Average. Dating back to the start of 2021, when he first got regular run at third, he has 54 DRS and 42 OAA. In both cases, he trails only Ke’Bryan Hayes among big league third basemen for that span.

The Yankees can bank on sure-handed defense at third. The Yankees love ground-ball pitchers, on account of their hitter-friendly park, so McMahon should be a notable upgrade in turning those grounders into outs. The offense is a bit more of a question mark, as outlined above, but it will still likely be an upgrade over the in-house options.

Due to his contract, McMahon should be able to cover the hot corner for not just this year but two more. The Rockies signed him to an extension just ahead of the 2022 season. As mentioned, that deal pays McMahon $12MM this year followed by $16MM in each of the next two years. The Yankees will be paying him at a higher rate than that. They are a third-time competitive balance tax payor and above the highest CBT tier. That means they pay a 110% tax on any new spending.

A player’s CBT hit is recalculated at the time of a trade to account for what is left on the contract. McMahon is still owed about $36.2MM over two seasons and the roughly 35% of this year’s schedule that remains. That works out to a CBT hit of about $15.4MM. Prorate that over the rest of the year and McMahon adds about $5.4MM to the 2025 CBT. 110% of that is a bit over $5.9MM in taxes. That means the Yanks are paying more than $11MM total to have McMahon for the stretch run. Taxes will likely be a factor with his 2026 and 2027 seasons as well.

In addition to the financial cost, the Yanks are also subtracting a couple of pitchers from their system. Herring, 22, was a sixth-round pick in last year’s draft. He has made 16 starts this year between Single-A and High-A, eight at each level. He has a combined 1.71 earned run average, 28.5% strikeout rate, 10.1% walk rate and 50% ground ball rate. Baseball America gives him a 45 grade on the 20-80 scale and had him listed as the #17 prospect in the Yankee system.

Grosz, 22, was an 11th-round pick in 2023. He has since pitched 208 2/3 innings in the minors with a 3.97 ERA, 25.7% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. BA doesn’t list him as one of the top 30 prospects in the Yankee system.

For the Rockies, it’s a notable shift for them. They haven’t had a winning record since 2018 but haven’t always capitalized on their losing seasons by trading players at the deadline. Trevor Story wasn’t traded and ended up departing for just qualifying offer compensation. Jon Gray didn’t even get a QO, so he departed for nothing. Players like Daniel Bard and C.J. Cron got ill-advised extensions instead of being traded.

However, the team seems to be accepting that they are in a rough spot and need change. Their struggles have reached a new nadir this year. Their 26-76 record is easily the worst in baseball. In fact, they are on pace to challenge the modern-day loss record, which the White Sox set just last year.

The scope of the franchise’s struggles has opened up more willingness to try new things. Though the club has often been considered loyal to a fault, they fired manager Bud Black in May. McMahon was reportedly a favorite of owner Dick Monfort, but that’s no longer enough to keep him off the trading block. The club is also reportedly open to offers on controllable pitchers like Victor Vodnik and Seth Halvorsen.

Parting with McMahon allows them to add some young pitching prospects, which is an ongoing concern for them. They regularly struggle to put competent pitching staffs together and even some of their modest success stories are running out of steam. Germán Márquez, Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber have all had some success for the Rockies but they’re all now in their 30s and nearing free agency. Márquez and Gomber hit the open market in a few months. Senzatela and Freeland have options in their contracts but are only guaranteed through 2026.

The Rockies will ideally develop younger pitchers over time, but even their most notable prospect struggled this year, as Chase Dollander had a 6.68 ERA in 15 starts before being sent back down to the minors. Improving their long-term pitching outlook will be an ongoing project and they’ve added a couple more arms today.

The move could also have impacts on the broader market. The Yankees were one of several clubs connected to Suárez, so there is one less suitor for him now. However, he has reportedly drawn interest from a dozen different teams, so the Snakes should still be able to do well there. Even after adding McMahon, the Yankees should still be on the lookout for pitching. The Rockies, meanwhile, could make a few more trades before next week’s deadline. In addition to the aforementioned pitchers, position players like Thairo Estrada and Mickey Moniak could be available.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the Yankees had an agreement to acquire McMahon for two prospects. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo reported Herring’s inclusion. Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first with Grosz heading to Colorado. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported that the Yanks were assuming McMahon’s entire salary.

Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing, Peter Aiken and Jim Dedmon, Imagn Images

Mets Acquire Gregory Soto

By | at

The Mets and Orioles announced a deal sending left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from Baltimore to New York. The O’s acquired minor league right-handers Wellington Aracena and Cameron Foster.

Soto, 30, has pitched to a 3.96 ERA this season and carries a 3.91 mark dating all the way back to 2021. He’s playing the season on a $5.35MM salary and is a pure free agent at season’s end. He still has about $1.87MM of his salary yet to be paid out, and since the Mets are third-time luxury tax payors in the top penalty bracket, there’ll be a 110% tax on that sum. That brings the total financial expenditure to about $3.925MM.

Armed with a four-seamer that averages 97.1 mph and a sinker that’s sitting 96.7 mph, Soto can miss bats in bunches but struggles to command his sizzling repertoire. He’s fanned 27.5% of his opponents this year but also issued walks at an 11.3% clip that’s pretty well aligned with his career mark.

Still, Soto has avoided too much damage from righties, and lefties may as well not even bother stepping into the box (.138/.271/.276). He’ll give a Mets club that has been focused on adding at least one lefty to its bullpen a potent weapon against divisional foes like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber and Matt Olson down the stretch, to say nothing of potential key matchups against prominent lefties like Shohei Ohtani or Kyle Tucker in the postseason.

The Mets opened the season with lefties A.J. Minter and Danny Young locked into key bullpen roles. Both required season-ending surgery in May — Minter to repair a torn lat and Young to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament. They’ve since re-signed Brooks Raley, who was rehabbing from his own Tommy John surgery but is now back in the big league ’pen. Soto now adds a second lefty back into the mix as well as another flamethrower who sits 97 or better (alongside closer Edwin Diaz and setup men Ryne Stanek and Reed Garrett).

Adding to the bullpen has been president of baseball operations David Stearns’ top priority as the deadline approaches. The Mets figure to continue to explore the market for bullpen help, and Stearns has at least acknowledged that they could pursue an upgrade in center field. The Mets have a healthy rotation at the moment, but one would assume that if they could find a price to their liking, a deal for a potential playoff starter isn’t entirely off the table.

In exchange for Soto, the Orioles will add a pair of pitching prospects to their system — one (Foster) that’s close to the majors and another (Aracena) who is more of a development project but comes with a higher ceiling.

The 26-year-old Foster was a 14th-round pick out of McNeese State in 2022. He opened the season in Double-A Binghamton’s bullpen and breezed through opposing lineups, pitching to a minuscule 1.01 ERA with a 34% strikeout rate and 5% walk rate in 26 2/3 innings. It’s eye-catching production, though it bears noting that at 26, Foster was noticeably older and further along in his development than his Double-A opponents. He was recently moved up to Triple-A, where he’s pitched 3 2/3 innings and been tagged for seven runs on seven hits and three walks.

Listed at 6’5″ and 230 pounds, Foster has the frame of a power reliever. He’s never ranked among the Mets’ top prospects, though FanGraphs Eric Longenhagen noted just last month that he’s sharpened his slider since being drafted and it now grades as a plus offering. He’s a potential bullpen option and, given his recent promotion to Triple-A, could feasibly get a look as soon as this season. Foster would be Rule 5-eligible in the offseason if the Orioles leave him off the 40-man roster, so it seems there’s a good chance he’ll be selected to the 40-man after the season, if not sooner.

Aracena, 20, is widely ranked within the Mets’ top-30  prospects, sitting 14th at FanGraphs as of last month and 28th at Baseball America. There’s a wide range of opinions on him due to the hard-throwing righty’s poor command. Aracena has walked 13.2% of his A-ball opponents in 2025, and that’s actually a significant improvement over 2024, when he issued free passes to 20.2% of the batters he faced.

Shaky command notwithstanding, Aracena sits 97-98 mph with a fastball that tops out around 101 mph. Baseball America’s scouting report on him also touts a heavily used cutter that sits 93 mph and a still-developing slider with more movement that checks in a few miles per hour slower. In ranking Aracena 14th in the Mets’ system, Longenhagen praises the life on all of his pitches and adds that there “aren’t really many other big league pitchers whose stuff bears a resemblance to Aracena’s cutter-heavy mix.”

Aracena won’t turn 21 until December. In all likelihood, he’s not likely to be a big league option until at least 2027, and that’s assuming continued health and progression in his development. He’s a bullpen prospect with a lofty ceiling, however, and coupling him with another late-blooming relief prospect who’s much closer to big league readiness makes for a solid return on two-plus months of a hard-throwing Soto, to whom the Orioles were never going to extend a qualifying offer.

Soto becomes the second reliever traded from the Baltimore bullpen, joining Bryan Baker (who went to the Rays). Just as Stearns & Co. surely have more additions in store for the Mets, O’s general manager Mike Elias will have several more sell-side moves to execute in the next six days. Soto’s bullpen-mate Seranthony Dominguez, first baseman Ryan O’Hearn, center fielder Cedric Mullins and starting pitchers Charlie Morton, Zach Eflin and Tomoyuki Sugano are all free agents at season’s end.

SNY’s Andy Martino was first with the trade terms.

Padres Interested In Luis Robert Jr., Ramón Laureano

By | at

The Padres have been looking for left field solutions for a while. Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports that they are interested in Steven Kwan of the Guardians, Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox and Ramón Laureano of the Orioles. Their interest in Kwan was reported earlier this week.

Robert has been one of the clearest trade candidates for a while now. The Sox have been aggressively rebuilding and he’s not in their long-term plans. He’s in the final guaranteed year of his contract. There are a pair of $20MM club with $2MM buyouts. However, his mercurial production and frequent injury issues have made those seem less attractive.

He is at least in a good stretch now. In early June, he sat out a few games to focus on some adjustments to his approach. He had a .177/.266/.286 batting line at that time. Since then, he has hit .266/.349/.457 for a 122 wRC+. Even when he was struggling, he was still hitting lefties, stealing bases and fielding well. His improved offense of late won’t totally erase the memories of his slumps but it should help somewhat.

There have been some rumblings that the Sox could hold Robert and exercise the option if they don’t get an offer to their liking but that feels like an unwise path. They have already missed chances to sell him when his value was presumably higher. He had a great 2023 season but the Sox didn’t trade him at that time, when they could have felt they had four affordable years of club control. But in 2024, he was largely hurt and underperforming, which cut into his value. Holding him at that point and hoping for a bounceback was defensible, but then he his struggles carried over into the early parts of 2025.

Though he’s been better lately, he’s been inconsistent enough that it would be a real risk to hold him. It’s entirely possible that more injuries or slumps pop up in the second half, which would make it harder to justify picking up the option.

Laureano is also a logical candidate to move in the next week. The Orioles are in the midst of a disappointing season and are clear sellers. They’re not going to move controllable core pieces but general manager Mike Elias has admitted they will be looking to move guys who are “coming towards the end of their contracts.”

That should include Laureano, though he’s not strictly a rental. His one-year deal contains a club option for 2026. The O’s could keep him but he’s not a foundational piece for them, so they should be open to offers.

It also makes sense to sell him now since his career has been up-and-down but he’s been hot lately. He has 14 home runs and a .277/.337/.521 line this year, which translates to a 137 wRC+. He was sitting on a tepid .188/.216/.438 line at the end of April but has gone off since then with a .300/.366/.542 line.

For a few years now, the Padres have been dealing with a tight budget and various roster concerns. They traded Juan Soto ahead of the 2024 season, saving some money and adding rotation depth. They backfilled some of Soto’s production by signing Jurickson Profar for $1MM, which worked surprisingly well, though that also priced him out of San Diego’s range for this year.

The Friars tried to find low-cost solutions again. The first plan was a platoon of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe, who both got $1MM deals. However, both struggled and were off the roster before the end of June.

Another low-cost move is working out well. Gavin Sheets signed a minor league deal with the Padres ahead of this year. He has 14 home runs, a .253/.314/.424 slash line and a 109 wRC+. However, he’s not a strong defender in the outfield and would be better utilized at first base or in the designated hitter slot.

The trio of Sheets, Luis Arráez and Jake Cronenworth could cover first base, second base and DH if Sheets is no longer needed in left field. That would mean fewer plate appearances for Jose Iglesias, who is hitting .238/.297/.277. Tyler Wade and Trenton Brooks aren’t playing as often as Iglesias but are hitting .206/.309/.252 and .150/.190/.275, respectively.

Laureano has experience at all three outfield spots. Robert has only ever played center field. The Padres have Jackson Merrill in center, who is a strong defender. Since he’s signed through 2034, the Padres presumably wouldn’t move him for a short-term addition. Center fielders usually move to a corner spot with ease, so there shouldn’t be any real concern about Robert’s lack of experience in left.

With the Padres, the budget is an ongoing concern, as mentioned. Their offseason moves clearly showed a lack of financial wiggle room. In addition to Heyward and Joe, they gave small guarantees to Elias Díaz and Kyle Hart. They did give Nick Pivetta $55MM over four years but that deal is heavily backloaded, with the righty only making a $1MM salary this year, in addition to a $3MM signing bonus.

In addition to the financial concerns, the Padres have traded away a lot of prospects in recent years and their farm system isn’t well regarded. They have two strong pieces in Leo De Vries and Ethan Salas but all reporting has suggested the Friars want to hold those two.

It seems that president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is considering all kinds of scenarios in order to work around his constraints. Despite a questionable rotation, there have been a number of Dylan Cease rumors recently, though the Padres have also been connected to other starters such as Sandy Alcantara. It’s possible that Preller engineers a sort of musical chairs approach where he could trade Cease away for prospects or big league talent while saving some money and also bringing in other players. There have also been rumors that the Friars could subtract from or add to their bullpen.

That’s not unprecedented for the Friars. As mentioned, they flipped Soto ahead of last year for younger players, one of them being Drew Thorpe. Shortly thereafter, they used Thorpe as part of a package to get Cease. It’s possible that Preller again cooks up a number of trades that relate to each other.

Robert is making $15MM this year. About $5MM of that will be left to be paid out at the deadline, plus at least the $2MM buyout on his option. The Sox are reportedly willing to include cash in trading Robert, though that would be a way to extra prospect capital. The Padres would obviously welcome that financial arrangement but may not have the prospects, unless they get some in a Cease deal or some other trade.

Laureano is far more affordable, as he’s only making $4MM, which will leave roughly $1.33MM left to be paid out at the deadline. His 2026 club option is for $6.5MM with no buyout. If he stays hot through the end of the year, it’s possible that option looks like a good deal. In that scenario, the Padres could keep him for 2026 or flip him to another club in the winter.

The Padres have also been connected to Kwan and Jarren Duran of the Red Sox, though those are more long-shot candidates. Both of those players are affordably controlled beyond this season and their respective clubs are both still playoff contenders. Still, the Padres seem to be going over dozens of different trade permutations, so there are lots of different ways things could play out in the next week.

Photo courtesy of Kamil Krzaczynski, Imagn Images

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top