By Tim Dierkes | at
Once the dust settles from Tuesday afternoon’s trade deadline, why not jump into a free fantasy baseball contest at DraftKings? Click here to enter by 7:05pm EST on Wednesday, August 1st. It costs absolutely nothing to play, and DraftKings is kicking in a $3,000 prize pool! Set your lineup today!
This is a sponsored post from DraftKings.
By Connor Byrne | at
There were five teams on hand Saturday to scout Rangers closer Keone Kela, Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram reports. The Diamondbacks and Pirates – both of whom have had previously reported interested in Kela – as well as the Red Sox, Indians and Giants were in attendance, according to Wilson. Kela didn’t pitch, though the 25-year-old has bolstered his trade value this season with a 3.28 ERA/2.85 FIP, 10.85 K/9 against 3.03 BB/9 and 23 saves in 24 chances over 35 2/3 innings. Adding to Kela’s appeal, he’s making a relative pittance this season ($1.2MM) and still has three more arbitration-eligible years remaining. The Dodgers are interested in Kela, too, per the Dallas Morning News’ Evan Grant, who adds that LA has also been scouting fellow Texas relievers Jose Leclerc, Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman,
By Jason Martinez | at
NATIONAL LEAGUE
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
By Jeff Todd | at
MONDAY: Tatis will indeed undergo season-ending thumb surgery, Acee reports. Still, the hope is that Tatis will be able to play winter ball and enter camp next spring at full speed.
FRIDAY: Much-hyped Padres prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. — son of the former major-leaguer of the same name — is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season, Jeff Sanders and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune report.
Tatis may well require surgery on his left thumb after injuring it last night, though that has not yet been decided. Indeed, full details of the injury and expected procedure aren’t yet fully clear. More will be known after swelling has subsided.
Fortunately, early indications are that there’s no reason to fear that the injury will limit Tatis in the long run, even if surgery is necessary. That certainly reduces the reason for worry. Needless to say, the 19-year-old shortstop’s future remains of great importance to the San Diego organization.
Since coming to the Friars in one of the most notable heists in recent memory, Tatis has soared up prospect charts. This year, Tatis has posted a .286/.355/.507 slash with 16 homers and 16 steals at the Double-A level. He’s widely considered one of the very best minor-league talents around. Indeed, Fangraphs just rated his contract rights the 39th most valuable asset in all of baseball.
Barring a surprise, Tatis would not have reached the majors this year or pressed for a job out of camp in 2019. But a mid-season call-up next season was certainly a distinct possibility. It may still be, to be sure, but Tatis will now miss some valuable development time. Phenom though he may be, there’s certainly room for improvement in his game — in particular, a 27.7% strikeout rate.
Ultimately, there’s plenty of time still for Tatis to mature into the complete player the Padres think he will be. This injury seems quite unlikely to change his trajectory.
By Connor Byrne | at
Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels has made it known he’d welcome a return to Philadelphia, where he pitched from 2008-15, but a reunion appears “unlikely,” Todd Zolecki of MLB.com writes. The Phillies are trying to stay away from the starting pitching market in general, according to general manager Matt Klentak, who said Friday that the team’s rotation “has been the strength of our team this year.” It’s doubtful Hamels would serve as a legitimate upgrade over any of the Phillies’ starters, especially at such a high price ($22.5MM salary this season and then a $6MM buyout in 2019). Formerly a front-end hurler, the 34-year-old Hamels has managed a 4.36 ERA/5.06 FIP with an equally unappealing home run rate (1.73 allowed per nine) over 109 1/3 innings in 2018.
By Jeff Todd | at
Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez has again required season-ending surgery on his left shoulder, the team announced today. The team described the procedure as an anterior stability revision.
It’s a disappointing outcome for the 25-year-old, who missed the bulk of the 2017 season after it was determined that he needed to go under the knife. He also had another procedure this spring. Clearly, he has not responded as hoped since that time.
Hernandez had reached the majors in 2016 and opened the ensuing season on the MLB roster. Through 116 total plate appearances at the game’s highest level, he owns a .284/.328/.349 batting line with one home run and one steal.
Martinez has shown a bit of pop in the upper minors, providing hope that he could turn into a solid hitter who is capable of lining up at short, second, and third. First, though, he’ll have to get his shoulder joint back to full function.
By Jason Martinez | at
NATIONAL LEAGUE
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
By Connor Byrne | at
With the Orioles having failed to extend Manny Machado in the past, the shortstop noted this weekend (via Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun) that “they never reached out and showed that appreciation like the Angels did to (Mike) Trout. It was a totally different situation.” Machado was referring to the Angels’ decision in 2014 to give the then-22-year-old Trout a six-year, $144.5MM extension – one that canceled out three arbitration-eligible seasons and three free-agent years. Now, Machado says he’s “grateful” he’ll hit free agency this offseason at the age of 26. So, while the Orioles are all but guaranteed to trade Machado to a contender in the next few months, it doesn’t sound as if his next employer will have a legitimate chance to prevent him from reaching the open market with a new contract. Of course, given that Machado is in line to sign one of the majors’ richest deals ever, it’s no surprise he’s eager to test the open market.
Here’s more on a couple other AL East teams:
By Jeff Todd | at
The day has finally arrived, and the 2018 NHL Entry Draft is on tap tonight at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Buffalo Sabres hold the first-overall pick and are widely expected to make Rasmus Dahlin only the second Swedish-born No. 1 selection in history after Mats Sundin in 1989. Dahlin is a franchise-changing defenseman who will be in Buffalo’s lineup on opening day, but there are plenty of other top prospects waiting to find out where their professional future will start.
Andrei Svechnikov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Filip Zadina, Brady Tkachuk and others will all hear their names selected in the first few picks, but in which order is still to be determined. The Montreal Canadiens are holding everyone in suspense with their decision with the third-overall pick, while anyone from 6-10 could easily trade up or down. With all the speculation and rumor floating around you’ll need someone to cut through everything and bring just the most accurate, reliable information to you within seconds of it happening. Pro Hockey Rumors is the place for that, and the only place you’ll need to stay updated through tonight’s first round.
All the action starts at 6pm CDT, so make sure to check in regularly at ProHockeyRumors.com, follow @prohockeyrumors on Twitter and set your notifications accordingly in the Trade Rumors mobile app for iOS and Android to get all the breaking news alerts.
By Jeff Todd | at
It’s draft day in the NBA, and the Suns are expected to officially make Arizona center Deandre Ayton the first overall pick in a matter of hours. However, after the No. 1 selection, there’s uncertainty about which direction many lottery teams are leaning, with rumors circulating about the possibility of clubs trading up or down in the draft.
In addition to finding out tonight where top prospects like Marvin Bagley III, Luka Doncic, Mohamed Bamba, and Trae Young will land, we could also see veteran stars change teams. A year ago, the Bulls and Timberwolves completed a blockbuster draft-night trade involving Jimmy Butler — this year, another All-Star forward may be on the trade block, with Kawhi Leonard reportedly seeking a deal that sends him out of San Antonio.
You can follow all the latest draft- and trade-related news and rumors over at HoopsRumors.com, or on Twitter (@HoopsRumors). In addition to passing along all of tonight’s draft picks, rumors, and trade news, we’ll be hosting a live draft chat where you can weigh in with your thoughts on the action. Head over to Hoops Rumors and join the fun for one of the most eventful days on the NBA calendar!
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