Brooks Lee comps, trade deadline needs, cutting Jordan Balazovic: Twins mailbag

Brooks Lee comps, trade deadline needs, cutting Jordan Balazovic: Twins mailbag

[ad_1]

It’s been just over a month since my last Minnesota Twins mailbag column, and a lot has changed.Back then, the Twins had the American League’s sixth-best record at 33-28 (.541), Royce Lewis had just returned from the injured list with a homer in each of his first two games and the first subscriber question asked when Brooks Lee would be called up from Triple-A St. Paul.Since then, the Twins have gone 19-11 (.633) to rise to the AL’s fourth-best record, Lewis is sidelined again after another brilliant run at the plate followed by another frustrating injury and Lee is in the big leagues for the first time as his replacement.Let’s open the mailbag and see what’s on your minds about a second-place team that’s currently slotted into the AL’s second wild-card spot.Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length.Which former Twins player is the best career-long comp for Brooks Lee’s future upside? — Lee R.These are always tricky, because it’s difficult to balance a top-30 prospect’s true upside, which is almost always a perennial All-Star, with their realistic downside, which is often not even reaching the majors. In this case, Lee is a big leaguer already, but the larger point remains. Even elite-level prospects have a wide spectrum of career outcomes.Limiting this to former Twins, the comp for Lee that immediately comes to mind is Jorge Polanco, another switch-hitting middle infielder who came up as a shortstop before shifting mostly to second base. Polanco was an All-Star starter in 2019 and also played at an All-Star level in 2021, and he ranks 17th among Twins position players in career wins above replacement.Injuries were a problem for Polanco late in his Twins career, but during his six-year peak from 2018 to 2023 he hit .270/.338/.455 for a 116 OPS+, with an average of 23 homers, 36 doubles/triples and 59 walks per 150 games. Lee is capable of batting quite a bit higher than .270, but he’s also no sure thing to develop as much power as Polanco, who topped out at 33 homers in 2021.Stylistic-based quibbles and health-related variance aside, I think Polanco is a reasonable comp for Lee if the goal is the 50th percentile outcome rather than the best- or worst-case scenarios. Switch-hitting infielder with a 110-120 OPS+ bat who’s an above-average regular most seasons and an All-Star in his best seasons. I’ll bet the Twins would sign up for that again.Of course, a week into his big-league career, Lee is hitting .450 and looking more like the second coming of Rod Carew.
“He hits a lot of doubles!”
Brooks Lee’s parents were on the call as MLB’s No. 13 prospect collects his first XBH for the @Twins. pic.twitter.com/7LtqqSY6Ya
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 6, 2024Why did the Twins release Jordan Balazovic? — Jason C.Two years ago, Jordan Balazovic was a consensus top-100 prospect coming off an excellent Double-A season. Now he’s headed to South Korea, with the Twins agreeing to release the 25-year-old right-hander from their Triple-A roster last week so he can sign with the Doosan Bears of the KBO. They likely got a small amount of money in return.Balazovic once looked like a potential front-line starter, but his secondary pitches and command never progressed as hoped. His overall development was also repeatedly sidetracked by knee and shoulder injuries, as well as a broken jaw from an off-field incident two spring trainings ago. (There’s that wide spectrum of career outcomes for top prospects that I mentioned earlier.)Moved to the bullpen last season in an effort to salvage his Twins career, Balazovic posted a 5.44 ERA with 134 base runners allowed in 81 innings as a Triple-A reliever. He received an unexpected call-up in the middle of last season when the Twins were desperate for fresh arms, but finished with a 4.44 ERA and 38 base runners allowed in 24 1/3 innings.And that’s the totality of his big-league career with the Twins, who selected a 17-year-old Balazovic in the fifth round out of Canada as part of the Terry Ryan-led front office regime’s last draft class in 2016. Fortunately for the Twins, they also picked major leaguers Alex Kirilloff, Jose Miranda and Griffin Jax, plus Ben Rortvedt and Akil Baddoo, ahead of Balazovic in that same class.If Simeon Woods Richardson stays healthy and pitches effectively, any talk of an innings limit in the second half? — John R.I don’t think it’ll be a big factor. Simeon Woods Richardson totaled 118 1/3 innings in 2023 and 112 1/3 innings in 2022, so increasing the 23-year-old’s workload to 150 innings this year would be reasonable. He’s on pace for 155 innings between the majors and Triple A. I’d guess that his second-half workload will be based way more on effectiveness than innings.Any talk of moving Louie Varland back to the bullpen? — Aaron H.Nothing has really changed on that front.Louie Varland may wind up in the bullpen again, like last year, but it’s not going to happen unless/until the Twins feel confident they have the starter depth necessary to get through an entire season. That’s impossible to know in early July, especially with Chris Paddack fresh off the injured list after a much-needed break and Woods Richardson still needing to prove himself.How likely is it that the Twins will trade for a starting pitcher? — Steven S.As part of my early trade deadline primer a few weeks ago, I suggested a front-line starter was the Twins’ biggest need. Paddack being shut down with shoulder fatigue and David Festa struggling in two fill-in starts are the only notable changes since, so it remains true. But the “front-line” part of front-line starter is key, because they’re not lacking in decent options.Upgrading the playoff rotation would require adding someone better than Bailey Ober, the current No. 3 starter after Pablo López and Joe Ryan. And even upgrading the regular-season rotation would require adding someone better than Paddack or Woods Richardson, as well as in-house backup arms like Festa, Varland and ascending Double-A prospect Zebby Matthews.That’s a much higher bar than simply needing a competent starter, and the cost to clear it would be substantial in terms of prospect capital, especially if Twins ownership isn’t willing to take on much salary.Given next year’s likely constrained payroll, do you expect the front office to deviate from their past trade deadline strategy of targeting players with one-plus years of team control as opposed to pure rentals? — Paul J.Yes. I suspect any trade that would add significant guaranteed 2025 salary is unlikely for the Twins after they cut payroll by $30 million this offseason and are below revenue projections due to lower-than-expected attendance.I wrote about this topic two weeks ago, calling it “unfortunate and frankly sort of pathetic.” I’d love to be proven wrong, but the Twins deserve every ounce of skepticism based on how ownership handled this offseason.

The Twins are averaging just under 22,000 per game, a decrease of about 1,200 compared to last season. (Abbie Parr / Associated Press)How much do you attribute the lower-than-anticipated attendance numbers to many fans not being able to watch the Twins on television? — Mason R.There’s room to quibble about how much each specific factor has led to the Twins’ decreased attendance, but it’s undeniable that their television mess, on the heels of their inactive, payroll-slashing offseason, brought rising fan morale to a screeching halt and turned off many devoted followers in a way that reinforced their longstanding suspicions about ownership.Last season, the Twins won a division title and their first playoff series in two decades, and this season they’ve followed it up by playing at a 93-win pace. To do that and then not have your attendance increase is rare, but to see it actually decrease by 1,200 per game year over year requires a unique set of circumstances almost designed to push away customers.There’s no logical on-field reason for a decline in attendance; in fact the opposite should be true, which lays bare the real reason. And unfortunately for fans, lower attendance and lower TV viewership leads to lower revenue, which in turn likely leads to lower payroll. It’s a vicious cycle and can become a self-fulfilling prophecy if a team doesn’t actively fight against it.Are the Twins OK with eating Randy Dobnak’s contract or why is he never a call-up option? — Joe V.Randy Dobnak is owed the same amount of money regardless of where he’s pitching. His lack of major-league action since 2021 has been due to a finger injury that required multiple surgeries, and his subsequent struggles to get back on track at Triple A. He has a 4.65 ERA across 209 innings for the Saints the past two seasons, often struggling with control.Dobnak has put together a good stretch recently, but he was never going to be ahead of prospects such as Varland, Woods Richardson and Festa on the Twins’ rotation depth chart, and fellow Triple-A veteran Caleb Boushley has been similarly effective for the Saints this season as well.Barring a rash of second-half starter injuries, Dobnak’s best chance to get back to the majors will probably be as a long reliever.
Congrats to Randy Dobnak for being named @MiLB International League Pitcher of the Week for his dominant outing on Saturday💥
6 IP / 2 H / 0 R / 1 BB / 10 K
His 10 strikeouts were the most he’s had in his 8-year pro career 👊#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/2AiFrUQEMq
— Twins Player Development (@TwinsPlayerDev) June 17, 2024Carlos Correa doesn’t have a stolen base since 2019. With players like Jose Miranda and Christian Vázquez running for the Twins, will Correa steal one this season? — Isaac K.I doubt it. Carlos Correa was once an effective runner, stealing 27 bases at an 80 percent success rate in his first two seasons with the Houston Astros, but soon after that he made a conscious decision to stop running in an effort to avoid injuries. The last time he even attempted to steal was September 2022, which resulted in a caught stealing and an injury scare.Like many players after a decade in the big leagues, Correa has also gotten much slower, ranking below average in sprint speed since 2022. I’d assume he could swipe a handful of bases per season while rarely being caught, but whatever minimal value that adds would be wiped away and then some the moment Correa got banged up on a slide and had to miss games.Why don’t the Twins have their batters bunt to get an easy hit when there’s a shift? — John N.I double-checked to make sure this question didn’t get stuck in the mailbag system for the past two years, but it’s indeed a new submission.Since last season, when MLB changed the rules to significantly limit shifts, the Twins have 14 bunt hits and the average AL team has 16 bunt hits. They have bunted for hits at essentially a league-average rate.One thing I’ve learned over the years: When you find yourself asking why one team doesn’t do an “easy” thing that would benefit them, it’s worth considering if they’re different than the other teams in that regard and if it’s truly an easy thing at all.Jhoan Duran isn’t getting as much swing-and-miss on his curveball. Have the characteristics of the curveball changed or is his lesser fastball velocity making his other pitches easier to hit? — Chris W.Both. Jhoan Duran has lost velocity on all three of his pitches this season, including his curveball being down an average of 1.4 mph. Velocity doesn’t just matter for fastballs, and as I wrote last month, each of the four homers Duran has allowed this season have been hit on off-speed pitches thrown below his peak velocity.Beyond that, while Duran’s curveball is a great pitch on its own, pairing it with a 101-104 mph fastball the past two seasons helped it be even greater. When his fastball is down to 99-102 mph, opposing hitters have more time to react, in general, and the difference between his fastball and curveball doesn’t scramble their brains quite as much.I miss hearing you on KFAN. Any chance that happens again? — James L.Possibly. I chose to take a step back from KFAN appearances this season because of feeling overextended, in part as a result of some health issues that made going to the radio studio multiple times per week a little more taxing. I’ve had more MRIs than Royce Lewis this year, so I’m still trying to limit my pitch counts. Everyone at KFAN has been very understanding.If you want to hear me talking Twins, the good news is I co-host a podcast called “Gleeman and The Geek” that releases an average of three episodes per week. We do a “free” show most Fridays, and typically do Monday and Wednesday episodes exclusively for our Patreon subscribers. I’d encourage anyone who enjoyed listening to me on KFAN to give the podcast a try.(Top photo of Brooks Lee: Brace Hemmelgarn / Minnesota Twins / Getty Images)


[ad_2]

Source link

Will Red Sox buy or sell at trade deadline? Craig Breslow weighs in

Will Red Sox buy or sell at trade deadline? Craig Breslow weighs in

[ad_1]

With three weeks to go before baseball’s trade deadline, the Red Sox find themselves in the thick of the playoff hunt. After a 5-1 road trip to Miami and New York, the Sox are nine games above .500 at 49-40 and are 1½ games ahead of the Royals for the third and final wild card spot in the American League. Teams with a chance to make the playoffs usually commit to buying at the deadline, but the Red Sox, with time before a decision is due, have not committed to that path.Two days after ESPN’s Buster Olney said on the the Sunday Night Baseball broadcast that rival executives believed the Red Sox were “undecided” about which path they’d take at the deadline, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow confirmed as much on MassLive’s Fenway Rundown podcast. He also reiterated that he plans to “pick a lane” by either buying or selling and not trying to mix the two paths.“The value, the importance, the significance of playing meaningful games through the season, of winning on the field, and of a successful season is not lost on me,” Breslow said. “I can remember quite vividly what it was like to be in a clubhouse approaching the deadline and feeling like your team is one that merits further investment. My job is different than the job than the job Alex (Cora) has or the job that the players have, whereas they can be almost singularly focused on doing everything that they need to do to prepare to win that night’s game. I have to think about how we can best be positioned to win tonight’s game and tomorrow’s game and next year’s game. Trying to balance all of those things is is difficult at times.“The lane that we pick is going to be dictated by a host of considerations and none more meaningful than what is happening on the field. So I’m still adamant and committed to picking a lane. We’re going to get more and more information over the next couple of weeks. But the one thing that we can do that helps steer that direction is to win as many games as possible on the field.”Entering Tuesday, FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 47.8% chance of making the postseason. Boston has the best record in baseball since June 11 (16-16) and sits just two games behind the Twins for the second wild card spot in the AL. All signs are pointing up as the deadline approaches but the possibility of selling, especially if the team falters in the next couple weeks, has not been ruled out. A deadline sale of veterans like Kenley Jansen, Nick Pivetta, Tyler O’Neill and Chris Martin would likely result in a solid prospect haul, but the team has played seemingly well enough to deserve reinforcements, particularly in the rotation.While Breslow hasn’t ruled out selling, he did concede that it’s never the preferred path for a front office.“I think it’s always hard to sell,” he said. “I think oftentimes what’s lost is that, in this position, I’m competitive, I’m invested in this organization and I’m invested in the players and the staff. I think everybody in my seat wants buying to be the default and wants buying to be how you approach every deadline, because it means you’ve got a good team on the field and there’s meaningful games to be played. They’ve got a playoff run in them. I think that should always be the default position. And if it’s not, then I think you really have to question why you’re doing the job. There’s a huge credit deserved to the players and to the staff for putting us in this position and that is not lost on me.”Breslow, who cited starting pitching and a right-handed bat as two clear areas of need should the Red Sox buy, didn’t rule out the possibility of adding a rental player for the stretch run and said he felt like he had the financial support from ownership to add payroll before July 30. In previous years, under chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, the Red Sox had quiet deadlines — or sold key pieces like catcher Christian Vázquez — in large part because their playoff odds were not very good. Breslow said those odds would be just one factor the club considers in the coming weeks.“I think a lot has been made of playoff probabilities as being the end-all of decision-making criteria,” Breslow said. “I don’t think that’s fair. I think it’s a good anchor. But I think when when you talk about what the other factors that one needs to consider are… playoff probabilities are your odds at a single moment in time. It’s a snapshot, right? It doesn’t tell an entire story. It doesn’t include a trend where you’re coming from and where you might be going. We have to try and predict the team that we’re going to be post-deadline. You don’t get that picture entirely from playoff odds.“We have to think about the players that are going to be coming back and who might be giving us a boost, right? Getting (Triston) Casas back in the lineup is a significant boost to what we think we can be. Vaughn (Grissom) getting healthy. Chris Martin getting healthy. I think all of those things are important considerations. Looking at where we are in terms of the overall development of our team and what we have coming. What opportunities to supplement the existing group may exist internally? Are we at the end of a window? Are we believing that we’re at just the beginning? That can dictate how you tend to behave.“All of those things need to go into this decision. The last piece, that is often overlooked, is the opportunities. Until you have the conversations and you get engaged, you don’t know what opportunities are available to upgrade your team or what potential opportunities to may surface in terms of getting something that you just simply can’t walk past.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Pittsburgh Pirates should shop slumping closer Aroldis Chapman at MLB Trade Deadline

Pittsburgh Pirates should shop slumping closer Aroldis Chapman at MLB Trade Deadline

[ad_1]

The Pirates dropped the first series of July against key competition in the NL Wild Card race in the St. Louis Cardinals, and their weekend at home with the Mets didn’t look much better. The rotation continues to be plagued by injuries, and the offense can’t seem to decide whether to be world beaters or weak links. The time is quickly approaching for the Pirates to engage in the trade market, and Aroldis Chapman could be the first piece to go.Chapman’s collapse against the Mets on Sunday was the latest dip in a roller coaster season. The Pirates brought the fireballer in as yet another cog in what promised to be a “top-three bullpen” in 2024. Injuries to key pieces, such as David Bednar, and the need for bullpen days to spell the rotation have resulted in one of the worst reliever corps performances in the majors. Pittsburgh’s bullpen holds the fourth-worst ERA in MLB and the fourth-worst BB/9 in the NL. Chapman is a significant part of this problem.Chapman’s strikeout rate, which has put him in position to make a run at Cooperstown, remains high, ranking in the 98th percentile, but the same fastball that creates highlight reels has created hiccups this season. In 2023, his heater had a plus-8 run value; that number has dropped to minus-6 due to his poor control. His walk rate is 20.7 percent, worst among MLB pitchers with 150 batters faced.Aroldis Chapman throwing 104.0 MPH 😳At 36 years old. pic.twitter.com/RaOvOpjUNt— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 6, 2024Still, Chapman could bring value on the trade market if the Pirates choose to sell. The Royals dealt the lefty at the deadline last season, and he played a crucial role in the Rangers’ World Series run, earning six holds in the 2023 postseason. That trade netted Kansas City a former first-rounder, Cole Ragans, who earned his first All-Star nod this week. The Pirates should not expect the same return for the 2024 version of Chapman.The Royals could be interested in a reunion with Chapman, though. Kansas City is in the mix of the AL Wild Card race, but their bullpen could use more power. Their relievers have the third-worst K/9 rate in the Majors. The Pirates need outfield depth in their farm system, but it’s unlikely the Royals will part with Gavin Cross. Javier Vaz, though, could be an enticing target due to his ability to play multiple positions. The Dodgers, too, will likely be shopping for bullpen help. A deal involving Kendall George would help the Pirates shore up their outfield depth down the line.If the Pirates are able to get some value from Chapman and offset the liability he has been on the mound, they should pursue those avenues. As the season takes a downturn, the space in the bullpen could give big-league opportunities to Pittsburgh’s fleet of pitching prospects as the Pirates plan for the future.

[ad_2]

Source link

Philadelphia Phillies Receive Major Prediction for MLB Trade Deadline

Philadelphia Phillies Receive Major Prediction for MLB Trade Deadline

[ad_1]

As the MLB season nears the All-Star break, the Philadelphia Phillies have remained one of the best teams in baseball. They truly look the part of a team that could win a World Series.Keeping that in mind, the Phillies have an opportunity to get even better. The MLB trade deadline is just a few short weeks away and there have been many different options thrown out as potential targets for the team.Philadelphia appears to be a team primed to make a move or two. In fact, they have received a big-time prediction about the trade deadline.Bob Nightengale of USA Today has reported that GM’s and executives around the league are expecting the Phillies to be one of the most aggressive teams in trade discussions.Here is the list of teams that he named who are expected to be busy ahead of the deadline.”The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Atlanta.”This should come as no surprise. Philadelphia knows just how close they are to winning a World Series. Being aggressive is a must if they want to turn that goal into reality.Among the potential needs that could be addressed are another outfielder and bullpen help. On both of those fronts, there are plenty of talented players available on the trade market.The bullpen seems like the most likely option. Right now, the Phillies have one of the more dangerous offenses in baseball. Even with Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber missing time recently due to injury, they have remained productive.Pitching wins championships in most situations. Philadelphia has a good bullpen, but it isn’t elite. Pursuing a player like Miami Marlins star Tanner Scott would make a ton of sense for the Phillies.All of that being said, it will be interesting to see what the franchise ends up doing at the deadline. Will they live up to the hype and be aggressive? Or, will they stand pat and roll the dice with their current roster?Expect to hear a lot of rumors over the next few weeks. Philadelphia seems like a team that will try to make a move, but what size of move they’ll make is the biggest question.Stay tuned, as trade talks are expected to begin heating up in the very near future.

[ad_2]

Source link

Braves Bring Back Familiar Face to Outfield as Trade Deadline Nears

Braves Bring Back Familiar Face to Outfield as Trade Deadline Nears

[ad_1]

The Atlanta Braves have officially completed Step 1 in their “Recreate 2021 Plan.”On Monday, the team announced they selected the contract of outfielder Eddie Rosario to the major league roster. The team also recalled right-handed pitcher Bryce Elder in a massive roster swap that saw outfielder Luke Williams and left-handed pitcher Dylan Lee get optioned to Triple-A. Outfielder J.P. Martinez was designated for assignment.The #Braves today recalled RH Bryce Elder to Atlanta and he will start tonight’s game at Arizona. The club also selected OF Eddie Rosario to the major league roster, and optioned LH Dylan Lee and OF Luke Williams to Triple-A Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta…— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 8, 2024
Rosario signed a minor league deal with the Braves late last week, and is now being called up for his second stint with the team.Read more: Braves Bring Back Former Postseason Hero in OutfieldThe 32-year-old was acquired by the Braves at the 2021 trade deadline after superstar outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. went down with a season-ending torn ACL. Rosario was acquired along with cash from Cleveland for Pablo Sandoval that year, one of four additions the Braves made as they revamped the outfield ahead of a postseason run.The team also added Adam Duvall from the Miami Marlins, Joc Pederson from the Chicago Cubs, and Jorge Soler from the Kansas City Royals. The moves couldn’t have worked out any better; Atlanta claimed the championship as Rosario and Pederson played pivotal roles in Oct. 2021.Now, Rosario and Duvall are teammates again in Atlanta as the Braves yet again look to revamp their roster in the wake of an Acuña torn ACL. Rosario was designated for assignment by the Washington Nationals on July 1 and shortly after signed a minor league contract with the Braves. Now, he’s joining the big league roster.

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 5: (L-R) Eddie Rosario #8, Adam Duvall #14 and Jorge Soler #12 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after their win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 5, 2021…
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 5: (L-R) Eddie Rosario #8, Adam Duvall #14 and Jorge Soler #12 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after their win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 5, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. The Braves defeated the Rockies 9-2. Rosario is officially back with the Braves.
More
Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Rosario is in the midst of his worst year as a pro, as he slashed .183/.226/.329 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs, and an OPS of .555. However, the Braves are hoping a change of scenery gets Rosario back on track. In three games at Triple-A for the Braves, Rosario went 3-for-11 (.273) with a home run and an OPS of 1.061.Rosario’s MLB career began in 2015 with the Minnesota Twins. He spent half of the 2021 season with Cleveland prior to the trade to Atlanta. This past offseason, he signed with the Nationals on a one-year deal.Across his 10-year career, Rosario is slashing .264/.301/.453 with 166 home runs and 574 runs batted in. He has a career OPS of .754 and a career OPS+ of 102.The highlight of Rosario’s career came in the 2021 National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he slashed .560/.607/1.040 with three home runs and an OPS of 1.647 in six games. He won the 2021 NLCS Most Valuable Player award.Rosario will look to regain some of that magic for a Braves team that has been searching for consistent outfield help since Acuña went down with the ACL tear on May 26. Since then, Braves outfielders are hitting just .222 with a wRC+ of 77 and a 0.0 fWAR, which ranks 28th in all of Major League Baseball, only ahead of the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels.More news: MLB All-Star Game Snubs: Who Was Left Off AL, NL Rosters?
Uncommon KnowledgeNewsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

[ad_2]

Source link

Deadline Looming for Possible Tee Higgins Extension With Cincinnati Bengals

Deadline Looming for Possible Tee Higgins Extension With Cincinnati Bengals

[ad_1]

CINCINNATI — The deadline for a possible Tee Higgins extension is quickly approaching. The Bengals and Higgins have until July 15 to agree to a long-term deal. There hasn’t been any indication that an extension is imminent. Higgins will likely play on the franchise tender this season. The 25-year-old did sign the franchise tender last month and is expected to report for training camp on time. That’s a good indicator of how he’s approaching this season, even though he’ll likely be playing on a one-year deal. “Tee and I are always talking,” Joe Burrow said last month. “I’ve seen Tee several times this offseason. He looks great. Whenever he’s ready to come back I’ll be excited to see him.”Higgins signed his franchise tender just a few days after Burrow’s comments. Veterans report for training camp on Tuesday, July 23. For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and watch the video below:Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!You May Also Like:Look: Bengals Star Joe Burrow Walks in Vogue Fashion Show in ParisWatch: Bengals Star Trey Hendrickson Holds Kids CampJosh Newton Discusses What’s Fueled His Journey to NFL: ‘One Offer Coming Out of High School’Watch: Joe Burrow Chats With Jared Leto During Fashion Week in ParisDJ Turner II Ready to Attack Second NFL Season: ‘I Just Left Some Plays on The Field’Watch: Best of Joe Burrow’s 2024 OffseasonDax Hill Brewing in Lou Anarumo’s Lab, Bengals Hope Former First Rounder Makes Successful Switch to CornerbackThe Athletic Picks Bengals Win Total as a Best Bet for 2024 SeasonBengals Star Orlando Brown Jr. Posts Heartfelt Message to His Dad on Father’s DayA Pleasant Surprise: Cincinnati Bengals WR Tee Higgins Signing Franchise TenderZac Taylor Praises Ja’Marr Chase, Explains Why He Didn’t Do Much During Bengals Mandatory MinicampPFF Names Chase Brown, Jordan Battle on 2024 All-Breakout TeamPFF Ranks Geno Stone Among Top-20 NFL SafetiesSheldon Rankins Details Return For OTAs: ‘Wanted To Make Sure I Got Back Out Here’—–Join the 44,000+ Bengals fans that subscribe to us on YouTube.Follow us on Twitter: @BengalsTalkSILike Our Facebook PageSubscribe and follow the ONLY Daily Bengals PodcastFollow on TikTok

[ad_2]

Source link

Cardinals: Trade Deadline, Nootbaar, Edman, O’Brien

Cardinals: Trade Deadline, Nootbaar, Edman, O’Brien

[ad_1]

Today’s 8-3 win over the Nationals improved the Cardinals’ record to 47-42, and continued the team’s impressive run of play over the last two months.  After stumbling out of the gates to a 15-24 start, the Cards have now won 32 of their last 50 games, and have surged into the second NL wild card slot.
This has put St. Louis into a buyer position as the trade deadline approaches, and as Ken Rosenthal commented in an appearance this week on the Foul Territory show (X link), the Cards perhaps have an interesting edge over some other teams looking to make moves.  The Cardinals “have Major League pieces to trade,” Rosenthal said, since the team might have a bit of a surplus of position players due to some upcoming returns from the injured list.  With many clubs still straddling the line between being clear-cut buyers or sellers, “teams are not going to want to give up necessarily prospects or make certain kinds of moves.  But if they can fill a need with major leaguers from your club, and give you perhaps excess from their own, that is going to be valuable.”
Since the Cards need starting pitching, the most obvious comp here is the 2022 deadline trade that saw St. Louis obtain Jordan Montgomery from the Yankees in a one-for-one swap for Harrison Bader.  Naturally, finding a repeat of such a successful deal isn’t easy, nor are any of the Cardinals’ current trade chips necessarily as valuable as Bader was in 2022, coming off a Gold Glove award and above-average offensive seasons in 2020-21.
Rosenthal suggested that catcher Ivan Herrera or Dylan Carlson could potentially be dangled in trade talks at this deadline.  Former top prospect Carlson could be seen as a change-of-scenery candidate after two seasons of struggles, and Herrera is maybe superfluous since the Cards have Willson Contreras and Pedro Pages at catcher.  (Herrera is himself on the 10-day IL due to lower back tightness, but is expected back after the All-Star break.)
Getting these injured players back is the first step in whatever plans the Cardinals might have in mind for July 30, and on that front, Lars Nootbaar should return this week.  An oblique strain has sidelined Nootbaar since the end of May, but he has now banked seven rehab games with Double-A Springfield.  Cardinals Oliver Marmol told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that Nootbaar “came out feeling good” after this recent stretch of games, and technically, Nootbaar could be activated from the 10-day IL as early as Monday.  However, since the Cardinals are on the road and wrapping up a series in Washington on Monday, it is probably more likely that Nootbaar returns during the Cards’ five-game homestand prior to the All-Star break.
Nootbaar has hit .234/.337/.404 over 164 plate appearances this season, and is hopefully in for an extended stretch of good health after already making two trips to the IL in 2024.  The outfielder suffered a rib injury during Spring Training that delayed his season debut until April 12, but in between his IL visits took on a starting role in the corner outfield positions.
Tommy Edman could very well be taking Nootbaar’s spot in Springfield, as Edman is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment with the Double-A affiliate on Tuesday.  This will mark Edman’s first game action of any kind in 2024, as Edman has been battling through a lengthy recovery process since undergoing arthroscopic wrist surgery last October.  Since Edman will need at least a few weeks of rehab games considering his long layoff, it’s possible he won’t be ready for the big league roster by the July 30 deadline, but the Cardinals should have enough of a sense of his status by then to determine whether or not Edman’s return could perhaps make someone else on the roster expendable in a trade.
Right-hander Riley O’Brien threw to Edman during a live batting practice session on Saturday, with O’Brien throwing 20 pitches in total.  O’Brien hasn’t pitched since Opening Day due to a right flexor strain, and as MLB.com’s John Denton details, O’Brien started throwing in mid-June before some more forearm discomfort during a live BP session led to consultations with Dr. Keith Meister.  Fortunately, it appears as though O’Brien has been cleared of any more serious arm issues since he has returned to throwing, and a rehab assignment could potentially be in the works if he continues to feel pain-free.

[ad_2]

Source link

Will The Rangers Sell At The Deadline?

Will The Rangers Sell At The Deadline?

[ad_1]

The Rangers entered the 2024 season looking like a potential juggernaut. Not only was the club coming off a World Series championship in 2023, but they were looking forward to the rookie campaigns of top prospects Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford, which were widely expected to further bolster an excellent lineup anchored by 2023 AL MVP runner-up Corey Seager, third-place finisher Marcus Semien, and ALCS MVP Adolis Garcia. On the pitching side, the club had added a pair of back-end relievers to their shaky bullpen in the form of David Robertson and Kirby Yates.
While their rotation wouldn’t be at full strength entering the year, the promise of midseason reinforcements in the form of Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tyler Mahle was more than enough to inspire confidence that Texas was on the right trajectory to return to the postseason and defend the first World Series title in franchise history. Projection systems felt similarly: PECOTA at Baseball Prospectus gave the Rangers strong playoff odds of 55.4% in their preseason projections. Those playoff odds have fallen to just 14.6% entering play today, however, and it’s not hard to see why.
Carter and Langford have both struggled to below average slash lines in their rookie seasons and have each spent time on the injured list this year. They were joined by young third baseman Josh Jung on the injured list, as the 26-year-old has made it into just four games this season amid a number of setbacks as he works his way back from an early-season wrist fracture. In addition to those youngsters not provided the offensive impact expected from them headed into the season, the club’s core hitters have also taken steps back after strong 2023 campaigns. Semien (90 wRC+) and Garcia (91 wRC+) have both been around 10% worse than league average at the plate this year after big seasons last year, while Seager’s 122 wRC+ is well above average but a far cry from the 6.1 fWAR campaign he posted last year that saw him finish second to only Shohei Ohtani in AL MVP voting.
The club has similarly struggled to get the most out of its role players. Utility bat Ezequiel Duran was an above-average hitter in 2023 but crashed back down to Earth this year, slashing just .256/.294/.324 (74 wRC+) before being optioned to the minors in late June. Catcher Jonah Heim as struggled similarly, with a 76 wRC+ just one year after pairing his Gold Glove defense behind the plate with an above average slash line. The one bright spot offensively has been infielder Josh Smith, who has broken out in a big way and slashed .293/.386/.451 (139 wRC+) as the club’s regular third baseman in Jung’s absence.
All those offensive woes have added up to a 41-48 record for the Rangers, and things get all the more worrisome when you consider the fact that they’ve won just 25 of their 59 games since May 1. The club’s .424 winning percentage over that span is roughly on par with the record the Angels have posted this year. Between the pronounced struggles at the plate this year and their familiar struggles in the bullpen (their relievers’ 4.46 ERA is second-worst among all AL clubs), Rangers brass have been left in the uncomfortable situation of having to seriously consider a sell-off just months after parading through Dallas in celebration of championship.
The club certainly has pieces to sell if that’s the route they choose to take. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported earlier this morning that rival GMs “expect” the Rangers to make several notable pitchers on expiring contracts available. That group is led by Scherzer but also includes Robertson, Yates, Andrew Heaney, and Michael Lorenzen. Each of those arms would surely receive plenty of interest on a trade market that’s facing a relative dearth of quality pitching options, particularly when looking at rental starting pitching. Each of Scherzer, Heaney, and Lorenzen would fall into that latter category, while Robertson has been dealt at each of the past two trade deadlines. Yates could be among the most coveted relievers dealt this summer if the Rangers were to decide to move him given his eye-popping 0.86 ERA, 35.8% strikeout rate, and history as an All-Star caliber closer who led the majors with 41 saves back in 2019.
With so many interesting pieces to sell and the club falling further behind the Mariners and Astros in the AL West by the day, it’s easy to make the argument that the team ought to pull the plug on 2024 and start focusing on the future, when Seager will be joined in the lineup by a healthy Jung and the club’s pair of rookies in the outfield will have another year of development under their belts. Appealing as that might seem from an outside perspective, however, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News noted this morning that GM Chris Young made clear to reporters yesterday that the club has not yet decided on a path for the trade deadline, and is still open to the possibility the club plays their way back into contention.
“I believe in this team,” Young said, as relayed by Grant. “I believe they are capable of a run. We just have to put ourselves in a better position so that nothing is insurmountable. This team had a 40-20 run last year. It’s in there.”
There’s certainly reasons for the Rangers to hold out hope the club can fight their way back into contention this year. Semien will celebrate his 34th birthday in September, and as he enters his mid-30’s it’s fair to wonder if this year’s meager .232/.296/.383 slash line is closer to what he’ll produce going forward than last year’s more impressive .276/.348/.478 line. 31-year-old Garcia and 30-year-old Seager are both younger than Semien but also now on the wrong side of 30, and that’s not to mention the uncertainty surrounding 36-year-old deGrom and his checkered injury history. Semien, Seager, and deGrom are due a combined $98.5MM in 2025. With so much money tied up in that trio and key pieces like Scherzer and Eovaldi on the verge of free agency, it’s fair to wonder if this year may be the club’s best shot at another postseason run with their current group.
With just over three weeks remaining until the trade deadline on July 30, how will the Rangers proceed? Have your say in the poll below:

[ad_2]

Source link

Dodgers GM Says LA Looking at ‘More Big-Picture Moves’ at Trade Deadline

Dodgers GM Says LA Looking at ‘More Big-Picture Moves’ at Trade Deadline

[ad_1]

After an offseason spending spree of more than $1 billion, the Los Angeles thought they had assembled a World Series-worthy roster. Now, with the July 30 trade deadline less than a month away, the Dodgers have an injury list full of players who the Dodgers are counting on down the stretch.Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, Max Muncy, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Joe Kelly, Ryan Brasier, Brusdar Graterol, and Michael Grove are all injured yet the Dodgers are not rushing to shop.If they are going to shop ahead of the deadline, they will deal for “bigger-picture moves” adding players who will have an impact in October and beyond.“I think right now it’s kind of evaluating how this group is playing. It’s still quite a talented group,” general manager Brandon Gomes told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. “Make sure we’re playing well and not having to step on anybody too much. But a lot of it will be wait-and-see on that front.“We’re fortunate enough to be in a good spot in the division right now. So that will dictate a lot of it. So depending on how things progress – do we have to make moves that are more focused on the now or can we continue to evaluate and focus on bigger-picture moves?”Surprisingly, the Dodgers aren’t looking to acquire starting pitching. Gavin Stone and Landon Knack have stepped into their roles nicely. However, Chicago White Sox starter Garrett Crochet would be an exception. He’s a bargain at $800,000 and has two years of club control.There’s no need to add a shortstop. Miguel Rojas has that covered. But, they do need an outfielder. Specifically, an outfielder who can play daily while the others around platoon roles. As far as Gomes is concerned, the Dodgers will keep their focus on the bigger picture.“That is an area where we are looking at more big-picture moves than the right now,” Gomes said. “We feel our young guys are in a good place. They’re progressing well where we don’t feel that’s a need. But the deadline is still a long ways away. We know very, very well that things do change.”Photo Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY SportsHave you subscribed to our YouTube Channel yet? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to stay up to date on all the latest Dodgers news, rumors, interviews, live streams, and more!

[ad_2]

Source link

Moves Padres could make at the Trade Deadline

Moves Padres could make at the Trade Deadline

[ad_1]

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
It should be an eventful 3 1/2 weeks for San Diego — although under general manager A.J. Preller, is the Trade Deadline ever uneventful? This year, however, the Padres have already swung two of their biggest moves. San Diego landed Dylan Cease in March, then pulled off another stunner in May by trading for Luis Arraez.
Those deals filled two of the Padres’ most glaring areas of need — a frontline starter and a lefty bat. Those deals also depleted their farm.
So that’s the backdrop with the July 30 Deadline approaching. The Padres’ system isn’t as deep as it once was, and they’d still prefer to avoid trading any of their high-end talent — namely the four players they have ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects. They’re also unlikely to take on much salary, in an effort to remain under the collective bargaining tax threshold and reset penalties.
With all that in mind, it seems somewhat doubtful the Padres would pull off a major splash ahead of the Deadline. But it’s entirely possible they could make several minor ones. Here are their three areas of need:
1. A high-leverage reliever
The Padres bet on Robert Suarez being able to step into their closer role — and they nailed that gamble. Suarez has been one of the best closers in baseball. San Diego has also gotten more than could’ve reasonably been expected from waiver claim Jeremiah Estrada. At long last, Adrian Morejon has graduated to high-leverage innings as well.
But right now this bullpen is one piece short. Maybe it’s a lockdown eighth-inning arm to bump Estrada and Morejon to earlier innings. Maybe it’s someone who can share the burden alongside those two. But the Padres must add to that mix.
Estrada is already approaching his career high in appearances. Morejon has a lengthy injury history. Beyond those two, Enyel De Los Santos and Wandy Peralta are known commodities capable of handling heavy workloads. But if they’re pitching major high-leverage innings down the stretch, the Padres seem likely to get exposed.
But with one more high-leverage arm, all those puzzle pieces would seem to fit.
The Padres found themselves in a precarious position in late July 2021. They were clinging to a playoff spot with serious question marks in their rotation. The Deadline came and went, and San Diego did not upgrade. The season spiraled from there amid numerous pitching injuries.
This year feels remarkably similar. Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish are both dealing with right elbow inflammation, and their status is uncertain. Cease and Michael King have been solid. Matt Waldron has been a revelation. But the Padres need more.
Their organizational rotation depth is again thin. Randy Vásquez and No. 5 prospect Adam Mazur have struggled in replacing Darvish and Musgrove. Jhony Brito is being built back into a starter. But beyond that group, the Padres don’t have many options — and that group itself hasn’t been good enough.
The Padres don’t need to break the bank in a Cease-like deal at the Deadline. They need a serviceable back-end starter who can stabilize things and help get them to the postseason. If Darvish and/or Musgrove return to full strength, and San Diego’s Deadline acquisition doesn’t have a place in a hypothetical postseason rotation — that’s a fine problem to have.
3. An outfielder/bench bat
The Padres don’t need to replace Fernando Tatis Jr. with a trade. Tatis should be back for the stretch run once the stress reaction in his right femur has healed. But Tatis’ injury makes it clear how thin San Diego is in the outfield — juxtaposed with its glut of infielders.
Tatis, Jackson Merrill and Jurickson Profar have combined to form one of the best starting outfields in the NL. But with Tatis out, the Padres’ other options aren’t ideal. The light-hitting Bryce Johnson has taken over as San Diego’s regular right fielder. David Peralta homered Wednesday night, but he has mostly struggled. Tyler Wade isn’t a serious candidate to start.
Another outfielder would go a long way toward stabilizing a Tatis-less outfield. But more importantly, when Tatis returns, the Padres’ roster would be a lot more dynamic, with better options at DH and for the bench.

[ad_2]

Source link