The Opener

With the trade deadline just five days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Is the trade market heating up?

The slow build up to the trade deadline has continued into the early part of this week, but it’s possible things are finally starting to heat up. According to Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun Times, White Sox GM Chris Getz believes the trade market has “come alive” in recent days with “more meaningful” conversations. Getz added that while he expects most deals to get done closer to the deadline, he “wouldn’t be surprised” if some trades started to occur as soon as today. Getz, of course, has plenty of say in what happens this summer as the baseball operations leader of one of the league’s few true sellers. The White Sox have stars Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. to dangle, but those are hardly their only trade chips. Names like Erick Fedde, Tommy Pham, Michael Kopech, Paul DeJong, John Brebbia, Chris Flexen, and Mike Clevinger will all be in play in the coming days.

2. Kershaw to make season debut:

One day after Giants lefty Robbie Ray dominated at Dodger Stadium across five innings of work, striking out eight and allowing just one run, the Dodgers will welcome a Cy Young winning southpaw of their own back from the IL for his season debut. Longtime franchise face Clayton Kershaw has been sidelined all year after undergoing shoulder surgery during the offseason, but he’s set to be activated to face San Francisco ace Logan Webb (3.59 ERA). The Dodgers will need to make corresponding moves on both the 40-man and active rosters to bring Kershaw back into the fold prior to this afternoon’s game.

One of the most decorated pitchers in MLB history, Kershaw sports a combined 2.40 ERA and 2.77 FIP in 403 appearances over the last 15 years. During that time, the lefty has made ten All-Star appearances, won three Cy Young awards, and been elected the NL MVP in 2014 while never posting an ERA higher than 3.55. He’ll look to bring that ace production to a Dodgers rotation in need of pitching depth following injuries to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler.

3. A’s activate veteran ahead of deadline:

The Athletics are one of the league’s few obvious sellers. While most of the attention has been focused on the club’s controllable trade chips like closer Mason Miller and outfielder Brent Rooker, the club figures to market an assortment of rental players to clubs looking for cheaper upgrades ahead of the deadline as well. One such rental is veteran righty Ross Stripling. A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters last night that Stripling will be activated from 15-day injured list today to take the ball against the Angels (via MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos).

Stripling, 34, has struggled to a 5.82 ERA in 11 starts with the A’s this year but sports a solid 3.99 FIP this season. He’s been plagued by a .359 average on balls in play and 56.4% strand rate that both seem likely to improve over a larger sample. Even with his struggles, Stripling could draw interest in a pitching-hungry market if he looks healthy and effective in his return from an elbow strain that has sidelined him since May.

With the trade deadline now just six days away, here are four things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world today:

1. Ray to make Giants debut:

Veteran left-hander Robbie Ray hasn’t pitched in more than 18 months after exiting the first start of his 2023 season with a flexor strain that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. At the time, he was a member of the Mariners, but over the winter Seattle swapped Ray to San Francisco in exchange for outfielder Mitch Haniger and righty Anthony DeSclafani. He’s continued his rehab with his new club since then, and all that work getting back to the mound will finally pay off today when Ray makes his first start in a Giants uniform against the Dodgers in L.A. in a game scheduled for 8:10pm local time.

Ray will be facing right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who is coming off the IL himself but sports a strong 3.47 ERA in 18 starts this year. The Giants will be hoping that Ray, the AL Cy Young award winner in 2021, will provide a boost and halt a potential three-game losing streak. San Francisco has dropped two straight and fallen near the back of a tight NL Wild Card chase. They now sit five games out, and five teams separate them from the Mets, who currently hold the final Wild Card spot. The Giants’ play over the next few days will be crucial with regard to their deadline approach. San Francisco will also need to make a 40-man roster move to activate Ray.

2. NL Wild Card scene and its impact on the trade deadline:

As just alluded to, the NL Wild Card hunt is at a critical juncture. The Cardinals and Mets hold the second and third spots at the moment, but each of the Padres, D-backs, Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Giants and Nationals are within 5.5 games. The Cubs and Nats both still plan to operate primarily as sellers, but the direction isn’t as clear for everyone else in the mix. A series of three to four straight losses for any of these clubs would have massive deadline ramifications. For some clubs, a decision may come even sooner. The Reds are already open to moving some of their veteran relievers even as they look to hang around in the race, but a loss today could drop them 5.5 games out of the postseason picture. Every game carries heightened significance right now, creating a mini-playoff effect and leading to ample scoreboard watching.

3. Yelich exits with injury:

Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is in the midst of a resurgent season at the plate, sporting a career-best 18.4% strikeout rate and an excellent .315/.406/.504 slash line (156 wRC+) in 73 games this year. That’s been a huge part of Milwaukee’s success, but now it seems the club may need to go without its best hitter for some time after he exited yesterday’s win over the Cubs due to back tightness. According to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, manager Pat Murphy told reporters after the game that Yelich “could be” due for a trip to the injured list. Frustrating as the loss of Yelich would surely be, a silver lining for the Brewers would be the fact that the club is relatively flush in quality outfield options with Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, and Sal Frelick all seeing regular playing time at the moment and Blake Perkins currently in a bench role.

4. Check out today’s episode of the MLBTR Podcast!

This week’s installment of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is a particularly fun one, as host Darragh McDonald is joined by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco for a two-hour megapod during which they discuss the coming trade deadline. Discussed within are not only some of the league’s most obvious buyers (Yankees, Orioles) and sellers (Marlins, White Sox), but also some of the teams facing some tough decisions this summer like the Rays and Blue Jays. The episode is currently live on both Spotify and Apple Music, and will be posted here on the site later this morning!

With what figures to be a very busy week around the league ahead, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. One week until the deadline:

The trade deadline is now just one week away, and things have been fairly quiet on the transaction front to this point. Just four trades of players who weren’t already designated for assignment have been executed so far in the month of July: right-hander Aaron Civale to the Brewers, outfielder Austin Slater to the Reds, right-hander Phil Maton to the Mets, and right-hander Hunter Harvey to the Royals. That relative dearth of activity on the trade market should change quickly as teams currently on the fence between buying and selling begin to make their final decisions, as the Cubs did yesterday. Forty-nine of MLBTR’s Top 50 Trade Candidates For The 2024 MLB Trade Deadline are still on the board, and while not all of them will change teams over the next week, it’s likely that many of them will.

2. Bryant to be activated:

As noted by JustBaseball’s Patrick Lyons yesterday, Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters that $182MM man Kris Bryant could be activated from the injured list as soon as today after a strong showing at Triple-A on Sunday where he went 5-for-5 with a home run. Bryant, 32, has spent nearly two months on the shelf due to what was initially believed to be rib soreness but eventually turned out to be a strain of his internal oblique muscle.

Now in year three of his Rockies tenure, it’s been a frustrating few years for both Bryant and the Rockies as he’s dealt with a number of injuries and struggled when healthy enough to take the field. In a combined 146 games with Colorado, Bryant has posted a wRC+ of just 86 with a .247/.331/.385 slash line in 617 trips to the plate.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With the All-Star break and amateur draft now behind us, the attention of MLB clubs has now turned to the coming trade deadline on July 30. If you have any questions about your favorite team’s direction ahead of what should be a very busy week, or perhaps a trade idea you have in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 3pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete. (Note: link to chat has been updated to include the correct link; apologies for the error)

With the trade deadline just eight days away and an early morning signing already in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. France on waivers:

The Mariners reportedly placed first baseman Ty France on waivers yesterday, making him available to any of the other 29 clubs in the league willing to pick up the remainder of his $6.775MM salary for the 2024 season. France, 30, is in the midst of his second consecutive down season at the plate. Dating back to the start of the 2023 season, the first baseman has slashed just .241/.328/.361 (101 wRC+), though in the three seasons prior to that he posted a far more robust .285/.355/.443 (128 wRC+) line.

Even France’s more recent production, while certainly disappointing for a first baseman, could be helpful for a contender such as the Astros or Yankees that has gotten below-average offense out of the position this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean either club (or any other team, for that matter) will claim France while he’s on waivers, however. Interested clubs could instead wait for France to clear waivers and then either sign him for the prorated league minimum if he’s released by the Mariners, or try to work out a trade where they take on less money if Seattle retains him.

2. Braves promoting top infield prospect:

The Braves are set to place second baseman Ozzie Albies on the injured list today after he suffered a wrist fracture during yesterday’s game. He’ll be out for approximately eight weeks and, Atlanta is poised to turn to infield prospect Nacho Alvarez at second base. Alvarez is not yet on the 40-man roster, and while the club’s roster currently stands at 39 that figure doesn’t including veteran utility man Whit Merrifield, who the club signed to a big league deal this morning. As such, a 40-man move will be necessary to add Alvarez to the roster. That could be accomplished by placing Albies on the 60-day IL, although it’s also possible the club instead opts to designate another player for assignment to keep the door open for Albies to return ahead of schedule.

Alvarez, 21, began the year hitting well (115 wRC+) at the Double-A level but has really taken off following his promotion to Triple-A. In 28 games at the highest level of the minors, the youngster has slashed .336/.432/.575 with seven homers and five stolen bases in just 132 trips to the plate. That tantalizing power and speed potential is paired with solid on-base ability, as Alvarez has walked (12.9%) nearly as much as he strikes out (15.2%) so far in Triple-A.

3. Dodgers likely to promote starting pitching prospect:

Last week, it was reported that the Dodgers were planning to promote right-handed pitching prospect River Ryan to the majors in the days following the All-Star break. While Ryan did not make his debut over the weekend, manager Dave Roberts confirmed to reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) on Saturday that Ryan was an option to start for the club this week, suggesting that either today or tomorrow could be on the table for the righty. Since then, the club has announced that rookie Landon Knack will take the ball tomorrow before Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow return to action later this week, leaving Ryan as a possible starter for the club’s game against the Giants tonight.

Ryan has made just five starts at the Triple-A level this year after the start of his season was delayed by a shoulder issue, but he’s looked great with a 2.76 ERA and 3.64 FIP to go along with a 28.8% strikeout rate in 16 1/3 innings of work. Should the Dodgers wind up turning to Ryan this evening, the club will need to make corresponding moves to create space for the youngster on both their 40-man and active rosters as Ryan’s contract has not yet been selected from the minors.

As the second half of the regular season gets underway, here are three things to watch around baseball this weekend:

1. Weekend matchups:

The two clubs battling at the top of the AL West will face off this weekend, as the Mariners host the Astros for a three-game set. It will be the final matchup between the division rivals until mid-September. Probable starting pitchers for the Mariners are Luis Castillo, George Kirby, and Bryan Woo (per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times), while the Astros are lined up to counter with Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, and Ronel Blanco (per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). The series begins tonight at 9:10 PM CT.

Since the last time these two teams faced off, the Astros have gained 4.5 games on the Mariners, putting them just one game back in the AL West. With a series win this weekend, Houston would reclaim first place in the division for the first time since 2023. Meanwhile, if Seattle wins at least two of the three games, the Mariners will clinch the season series against the Astros. Winning the season series against a divisional rival became especially important in 2022 when the new CBA replaced tiebreaker games with mathematical tiebreaking procedures. Just last year, the Astros beat the Rangers for the AL West crown because Houston took the season series 9-4.

Over in the National League, the top two Wild Card teams are getting ready for a weekend matchup. If the regular season ended at the All-Star break, the Braves and Cardinals would be gearing up to play in a three-game Wild Card Series at Truist Park. Now, of course, there is still plenty of regular season left to play, which means their face-off this weekend in Atlanta is only a postseason preview.

Spencer Schwellenbach, Charlie Morton, and Max Fried are lined up to pitch for the Braves (per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution), while Sonny Gray, Kyle Gibson, and Miles Mikolas are in line to start for the Cardinals (per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). The Braves will hope to increase their lead in the Wild Card race with a series victory, while the Cardinals could find themselves just 0.5 games back of the top Wild Card spot if they manage to sweep the three-game set. The first game begins tonight at 6:20 PM CT.

2. Top prospect promotions:

As Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported yesterday, the Athletics are planning to promote 22-year-old prospect Jacob Wilson, likely as soon as this evening’s contest against the Angels. The A’s selected him with the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft. Presumably, he will take over from Max Schuemann as the everyday shortstop in Oakland. The A’s have open spots on the 40-man and the active roster, so they do not need to make a corresponding move before announcing Wilson’s promotion.

Although a knee injury limited his playing time earlier this season, Wilson has been nothing but electric throughout his brief career in the minor leagues. Quickly rising through Oakland’s system, he has hit .401/.445/.613 (180 wRC+) across four levels. In 19 games at Triple-A this year, he has a .398 batting average with eight doubles, four home runs, and only three strikeouts. Baseball America recently ranked Wilson as the No. 19 overall prospect in the game, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 50. The Athletic’s Keith Law did not include Wilson on his preseason top 100 prospects list but ranked the young infielder No. 2 in the Athletics system.

Meanwhile, down in Southern California, the Dodgers are reportedly planning to promote top pitching prospect River Ryan, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. Manager Dave Roberts has not yet announced how he plans to line up his rotation to begin the second half, so it’s possible Ryan could make his first big league start this weekend against the Red Sox.

Baseball America ranks Ryan as the No. 10 prospect (No. 3 pitching prospect) in the organization, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 4 (No. 2 among pitchers). The Athletic’s Keith Law was particularly high on Ryan entering the season, considering him the best pitching prospect in the organization and one of the top four pitching prospects in the sport. Shoulder issues delayed the beginning of Ryan’s season, but the 26-year-old has looked sharp in five Triple-A outings, pitching to a 2.76 ERA and 3.67 FIP with a 28.8% strikeout rate and a 60.0% groundball rate. L.A. has an open spot for Ryan on the 40-man and active rosters. Although he has limited experience at Triple-A and likely needs a bit more seasoning in the minors, the Dodgers will hope he can provide their beleaguered rotation with some temporary relief.

3. Hall of Fame induction ceremony:

Adrian Beltre, Joe Mauer, Todd Helton and Jim Leyland will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend, with the ceremony set for Sunday at 12:30 PM CT. The festivities will be broadcast on MLB Network. Beltre, Mauer, and Helton were elected by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for their playing careers, while Leyland was elected by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for his work as a manager. An additional 50 Hall of Famers will be present to celebrate their induction. More details about the event can be found on the Hall of Fame website.

As the All-Star break continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. A’s stadium plans to be revealed:

The Athletics are preparing to take a noteworthy step toward their long-term goal of moving to Las Vegas. According to Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority will meet today to discuss the development agreement drafted by the A’s, which will impact how the stadium will be financed as well as construction plans. As Akers notes, the agreement being discussed today is the final one the club needs to reach with the stadium authority in order to unlock the public funding the club secured in negotiations with Nevada lawmakers in May of last year.

2. Rays stadium funding vote:

The Rays’ proposal for a new stadium in St. Petersburg is scheduled for 11:00am local time today, as noted by Colleen Wright of the Tampa Bay Times. Today’s vote among members of the St. Petersburg City Council, should it pass, will approve a combined $429.5MM in spending for both the new stadium as well as an assortment of community benefits such as housing and an African American history museum. That’s not the entirety of the public funding the Rays’ stadium plan involves; they’ll still need the Pinellas County Commission to approve $312.5MM in funding on July 30, which coincidentally is the day of this year’s trade deadline. The Rays announced their plans for a new stadium back in September, which expected a total contribution of $600MM in public spending between St. Petersburg and Pinellas County.

3. Depth starters hitting free agency:

Yesterday saw veteran left-hander Dallas Keuchel and veteran right-hander Domingo German return to the open market after Keuchel cleared waivers following his recent DFA by the Brewers while German opted out of his minor league deal with the Pirates. Both hurlers have enjoyed success in the big leagues previously but have struggled in recent years. Keuchel won the AL Cy Young award back in 2015 and pitched to a 3.25 ERA with a 3.55 FIP between the Astros, Braves, and White Sox from 2014 to 2020. German, who tossed a perfect game against the A’s just last season, has generally been a reliable back-end starter throughout his career with a lifetime 4.41 ERA and 4.50 FIP at the big league level — although that production came with a number of off the field issues.

The recent track record for both pitchers is less encouraging. Keuchel has been picked up a handful of starts for the Twins and Brewers over the past two years, pitching to a 5.80 ERA and 4.88 FIP in a combined 54 2/3 innings of work. German hasn’t pitched in the majors this year and owns a lackluster 5.13 ERA in 11 minor league starts, though his 3.60 ERA in the past month is far more palatable. With the trade deadline just around the corner, both Keuchel and German are candidates for minor league deals. Either would at least provide an innings-eating depth option for teams that miss out on more impactful arms on the trade market.

On the heels of the American League emerging victorious from last night’s All-Star game, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. It’s trade season!

With the 2024 Amateur Draft complete, front offices around the game are now set to fully turn their attention to augmenting their rosters ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. A few notable trades have already occurred this month, such as the Rays flipping right-handers Aaron Civale and Phil Maton to the Brewers and Mets, respectively. The most recent trade of note occurred this past weekend, when the Royals acquired righty Hunter Harvey from the Nationals. If you haven’t already taken a look at MLBTR’s Top 50 Trade Candidates For The 2024 MLB Trade Deadline, it offers an opportunity to brush up on some of the names most likely to be dealt in the coming weeks. Harvey was the 15th player on the list, and other top names who could be on the move this summer include Garrett Crochet of the White Sox (2nd) and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Marlins (5th).

2. Musgrove takes step towards return:

The Padres have been without right-hander Joe Musgrove since late May as the veteran deals with inflammation in his elbow caused by a bone spur. He’s set to make a major step towards his return today, however, as MLB.com’s Injury Tracker notes that he’ll throw the first bullpen session of his rehab today. If that goes well, it will be followed by more intense bullpen sessions throughout San Diego’s road trip after the break. While the 31-year-old has struggled in 10 starts this year with a 5.66 ERA across 49 1/3 innings of work, the Padres are hoping he’ll return to his typical form as a frontline starter when healthy. Entering the 2024 campaign, Musgrove owned an excellent 3.05 ERA and 3.62 FIP in 459 2/3 innings of work since first donning a Padres uniform back in 2021. In Musgrove’s absence, the club is currently deploying a four-man rotation of right-handers Dylan Cease, Michael King, Matt Waldron, and Randy Vasquez.

3. White Sox 40-man roster move incoming:

Last night, it was reported that the White Sox and infielder Nick Senzel are in agreement on a big league deal. Senzel, 29, hit .209/.303/.359 (89 wRC+) while playing third base for the Nationals this year but was released just before the All-Star break began. Even that below-average pace would be an upgrade over struggling ChiSox infielder Lenyn Sosa, who has posted a 74 wRC+ in 52 games while splitting time between second and third base. Chicago’s 40-man roster is currently full, so they’ll need to make a move to open a spot before games resume Friday.

With no obvious candidates to be placed on the 60-day IL who haven’t already been transferred there, it’s possible the club will be forced to designate a player for assignment in order to make room for Senzel on the roster. On the other hand, the White Sox figure to be one of the most active sellers in the league this trade season. Given that, it would hardly be a surprise to see the club make a sell-side trade in the coming days, a move that could organically open a 40-man spot and allow them to add Senzel.

As the festivities of the All-Star break continue, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. 2024 All-Star Game:

The 94th MLB All-Star Game is set to take place in Arlington tonight. Hometown manager Bruce Bochy will manage the American League. The National League team will be managed by Arizona manager Torey Lovullo. The NL club will send Pirates rookie sensation Paul Skenes (1.90 ERA) to the mound to begin the game, while Bochy will counter with Orioles ace Corbin Burnes (2.43 ERA) to represent the AL.

Last year, the NL eked out a 3-2 win over the AL for their first victory in the All-Star Game since 2012, and they’ll look to make it two in a row this evening at 7pm CT. They’ll do so without Fernando Tatis Jr. in the starting lineup, as the Padres star is sidelined by injury and has been replaced by Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. A similar situation has played out at second base in the AL, where Astros star Jose Altuve has stepped back from the All-Star Game due to a hand injury and ceded his spot in the starting lineup to Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien.

2. Draft Day 3:

Yesterday saw all 30 organizations select a variety of potential future big leaguers in Rounds 3-10 of the MLB draft. The draft will conclude today with Rounds 11-20 starting at 1pm CT. At this point in the draft, most top-tier talents are prep players expected to honor their commitments to play collegiate ball. To have a realistic shot of signing any of them, a club would have to have saved up a considerable portion of their bonus pool from the first two days. Players like right-hander Dax Whitney (committed to Oregon State), outfielder Garrett Shull (an Oklahoma State commit) and shortstop Sawyer Farr (a Texas A&M recruit) are all widely considered to be among the best 50 to 100 talents in this year’s overall draft class but could be tough signs, given bonus pool limitations and strong college commitments.

3. MLBTR Chat Today:

With MLB’s All-Star festivities fully underway and the 2024 draft reaching its final stage, the attention of MLB clubs will soon turn to the coming trade deadline on July 30. If you have any questions about your favorite team’s direction in the coming weeks or a trade idea you have in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.

As the 2024 season enters its midsummer recess, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. 2024 Home Run Derby:

While the All-Star Futures Game and Day 1 of the MLB Draft both kicked into gear over the weekend, All-Star festivities are kicking into high gear today with this year’s Home Run Derby scheduled to take place at 7pm CT. The event is set to be broadcast on ESPN and features a new set of rules, including the top four hitters from the first round advancing into a bracket-style tournament in the semifinals as opposed to previous years where a bracket was present from the beginning of the derby. MLB.com offers a detailed look at the full rules changes for tonight’s event.

Two-time derby champion Pete Alonso will try to win a third title in five attempts, while Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia will look to win the derby in his home ballpark. Ken Griffey Jr. holds the record for the most derby wins with three. Bryce Harper (2018) and Ryne Sandberg (1990) are the only two players to ever win on their home field. Alonso and Garcia will be joined in the event by Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez, Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Braves DH Marcell Ozuna, Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez, and Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

2. Draft Day 2:

Day 1 of the MLB draft kicked off with the Guardians selecting Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick. By the end of the night, 74 picks had been made in total across the first two rounds. Day 2 of the draft, which will cover rounds three through ten, starts at 1pm CT this afternoon. Per MLB Pipeline, outfielder Dakota Jordan (No. 34 in the class) is the top college player still available, while right-hander and University of Iowa commit Joey Oakie (No. 46) is the top high schooler still on the board after right-hander William Schmidt (No. 16 in the class) announced that he’ll be honoring his commitment to LSU yesterday afternoon. The Athletic’s Keith Law, meanwhile, considers second baseman Peyton Stovall (No. 34) to be the top college player while listing outfielder and Auburn commit D’Marion Terrell (No. 52) as the best prep talent remaining.

3. Soroka injury scare:

White Sox right-hander Michael Soroka was pulled from his outing against the Pirates after just one out yesterday thanks to what the team has described as right shoulder soreness. As noted by MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, he’s set to be evaluated further during the All-Star break. It’s a frustrating situation for Soroka, who will celebrate his 27th birthday next month. The righty was among the most exciting young pitchers in the game back in 2019, when he earned an All-Star nod, finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, and even received down-ballot Cy Young consideration.

Soroka suffered four consecutive lost seasons after that, however, making just ten appearances from 2020-23 due to injuries. He was finally healthy entering the 2024 campaign but has not looked like the same pitcher. He’s struggled to a 5.23 ERA and 5.40 FIP and found himself dropped from the rotation in Chicago by mid-May. Soroka has performed nicely in a multi-inning relief role since then, logging a 3.45 ERA (3.37 FIP, 3.07 SIERA) with a massive 36.7% strikeout rate. Granted, he’s also walked 14.1% of his opponents in that time, but it’s still easy to imagine the pending free agent getting some trade interest based on that strikeout rate — if he can show he’s healthy after the break.

As the baseball world wraps up play prior to the All-Star break, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Kiermaier on waivers:

The Blue Jays are 8.5 games out of a Wild Card spot in the AL and seven games under .500 after going just 8-14 in their last three weeks of play. That’s led the club to begin considering trading away rental players this summer as they pivot more firmly towards selling, and news yesterday that they’ve placed center fielder Kevin Kiermaier on waivers is the latest signal that the Jays are open to shedding some veterans. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so a resolution can be expected today or tomorrow (depending on when the Jays formally placed the veteran on waivers).

Any claiming team would be on the hook for the remainder of Kiermaier’s $10.5M salary, and that hefty price tag makes a claim rather unlikely. It’s certainly feasible that teams would have interest in Kiermaier’s speed and elite defense in a scenario where the Jays eat most of his salary in a trade, but the four-time Gold Glove winner (and former Platinum Glove winner) is hitting just .191/.238/.295 in 72 games this season (51 wRC+). Kiermaier is still owed about $4.5MM between now and season’s end.

2. Futures Game this weekend:

Although play around the league won’t stop until Monday, MLB is kicking off All-Star week festivities tomorrow with the Futures Game. The game, which is scheduled for 3:10pm CT and will be broadcast on MLB Network, is set to feature a number of top prospects from around the game, including catcher Samuel Basallo of the Orioles, infielder Colson Montgomery of the White Sox, and outfielder Spencer Jones of the Yankees in the AL. Meanwhile, the NL will feature top talents like Reds righty Rhett Lowder, Padres catcher Ethan Salas, Pirates infielder Termarr Johnson, and Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews.

The weekend will also feature a Skills Showcase where eight prospects from around the league (Basallo, Johnson, Cubs catcher Moises Ballesteros, Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, Nationals infielder Brady House, Rangers infielder Sebastian Walcott, Reds infielder Cam Collier, and Rays infielder Tre’ Morgan) will compete in a series of three events designed to show off their hitting talents. You can read more about the event, which is set to air on Sunday at 9:00am CT, in this piece from MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo.

3. 2024 Draft to kick off Sunday:

All-Star week has also begun to feature the MLB draft in recent years, and the first round of this year’s draft is scheduled to begin at 6pm CT on Sunday. All eyes will be on the state of Ohio, as the Guardians and Reds will be picking first and second overall, respectively, after winning the top two spots in the draft lottery over the offseason. Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana, Georgia outfielder Charlie Condon, West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt, Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone, Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith, and Wake Forest righty Chase Burns are among the prospects receiving the most buzz ahead of the draft.