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Padres Shopping Derek Norris

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While most deadline buzz surrounding the Padres has involved Andrew Cashner and Melvin Upton, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) reports that San Diego is also “pushing hard” to trade catcher Derek Norris.

Norris has been rumored as a trade candidate for months, thanks to the Padres’ rebuilding plans and the club’s desire to permanently promote top prospect Austin Hedges (who has crushed Triple-A pitching over the last two seasons).  In his examination of the catching trade market, MLBTR’s Steve Adams described Norris as no less than “the likeliest player in all of baseball to get traded.”

The issue, however, is that Norris is on pace for the worst hitting season of his five-year MLB career.  Norris is hitting just .204/.263/.379 with 12 homers over 312 plate appearances.  His .247 BABIP indicates a bit of bad luck, though he also has a career-high with a career-high 28.8% strikeout rate.  It seemed as if Norris had turned the corner by delivering an .824 OPS in June, though he has struggled again this month.  On the plus side, Norris had traditionally been considered a poor defensive catcher but as per both Baseball Prospectus (FRAA) and Fangraphs (Defensive Runs Saved) metrics, Norris has been one of baseball’s better defenders behind the plate in 2016.  He has also thrown out 16 of 55 baserunners trying to steal on him this season.

Despite the rough hitting numbers and now two straight years of a subpar on-base percentage, Norris should still garner some interest.  He is only 27 and is controllable through the 2018 season, as he is earning $2.925MM this season in his first time through arbitration eligibility.  It was only two years ago, of course, that Norris reached the All-Star Game as a member of the Athletics.

Jonathan Lucroy is unquestionably the top name among catchers available in trade talks, so it’s possible the Padres may not get any momentum towards a Norris deal until Lucroy is off the board.  On the flip side, the Brewers are obviously asking for a lot in return for their star backstop, so teams unwilling or unable to meet Milwaukee’s price for Lucroy could turn to Norris as a cheaper alternative.

The Rangers and Indians have both been linked to Lucroy, though they’ve also been connected to other big-time targets — the Rangers for top starters like Chris Sale or several arms from the Rays’ rotation and the Tribe to Aroldis Chapman.  If either club has to surrender a big prospect package to land one of those targets, they might not have the young talent necessary to get Lucroy, so Norris could be next up.  Texas, notably, had interest in Norris in the offseason and even in April when Robinson Chirinos hit the DL.  The Astros like Norris, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo reports, though it isn’t clear whether Houston and San Diego are actively discussing a deal.

Astros Promote Alex Bregman

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The Astros have announced the promotion of highly touted infield/outfield prospect Alex Bregman and the designation for assignment of infielder Danny Worth. Bregman will join the surging Astros on Monday for the start of their home series against the Yankees.

[RELATED: Updated Astros Depth Chart]

Bregman, whom Keith Law of ESPN (Insider required and recommended) ranks as the best prospect in baseball, has torn through minor league pitching since the Astros selected him second overall in last year’s draft. The 22-year-old ex-LSU standout has been especially impressive this season, having posted a .297/.415/.559 batting line with 14 home runs in 285 plate appearances in Double-A. The Astros’ decision to promote Bregman to Triple-A in late June didn’t slow down the right-handed hitter, who slashed an astounding .356/.397/.685 with six homers in 78 trips to the plate with Fresno. Between the two levels this season, Bregman has recorded more unintentional walks (47) than strikeouts (37), further demonstrating his offensive prowess. Law likens Bregman’s upside at the dish to that of Red Sox star second baseman Dustin Pedroia.

Baseball America rates Bregman as the game’s eighth-best prospect, meanwhile, and praised his “simple, level swing,” bat speed and patience after last season (subscription required and recommended). Moreover, BA lauded his base-running and defensive skills, though there are questions as to where he’ll line up with the Astros. Over the long haul, BA, Law and MLB.com (which has Bregman as the No. 18 overall prospect in the game) see him faring well at short. That would require Houston to move Carlos Correa elsewhere, however (likely third base); notably, MVP candidate Jose Altuve mans second base.

In the near term, the Astros could send Bregman to left field, where they’ve had him spend time in the minors, or third. However, big-money free agent signing Yulieski Gurriel’s forthcoming debut will only complicate things further. That isn’t a negative for the red-hot Astros, though, who have climbed to a season-best 10 games over .500 since a dismal start and are within 2 1/2 games of AL West-leading Texas and a half-game of the second Wild Card spot.

Wherever the Astros play Bregman, it’s fair to assume he’s in the majors for good. With that being the case, he’ll come up short of Super Two status in the likely event he remains with the Astros through the end of the season. Bregman can accrue up to 70 days of service time in the majors this year, meaning he won’t be eligible for arbitration until after 2019 and will stay under club control through the 2022 campaign.

Worth, 30, joined the Astros on a minor league deal over the winter and went on to collect 40 plate appearances with them this year, hitting a meager .179/.200/.231. The longtime member of the Tigers organization owns a .224/.282/.288 line in 332 career PAs.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/24/16

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Sunday’s minor transactions from around baseball:

  • The Orioles have signed veteran left-hander Tom Gorzelanny to a minor league contract, according to David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot (Twitter link). Gorzelanny became a free agent earlier this month after rejecting an outright assignment to Triple-A from the Indians, who designated him for assignment July 4. The 34-year-old has a career 4.40 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in parts of 12 seasons (883 2/3 innings) with six different teams. Gorzelanny tossed 39 1/3 of those frames last year in Detroit, where opposing hitters battered him to the tune of a 5.95 ERA.
  • The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Scott Copeland to a minor league deal, per a club announcement. Copeland, 28, was previously in the Toronto organization from 2012-15, mostly working in the minor leagues. He got his first taste of big league action last season and allowed 11 earned runs on 24 hits in 15 1/3 innings. Copeland only walked two hitters in that span, but struck out just six. The Blue Jays then sold Copeland to the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization, where he struggled through 63 1/3 innings this year in the hitter-friendly league.
  • The Indians have announced the release of 26-year-old outfielder Bryson Myles, whom the Tribe selected in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Myles never made it to the majors with the Indians, but he did climb his way to Triple-A Columbus this year. He hit a meek .234/.305/.330 in 105 plate appearances with the Clippers, however, thus leading to his departure from the organization. All told, Myles batted a solid .277/.356/.414 in 2,058 PAs with the Indians’ minor league affiliates.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Lucroy, Pomeranz, Jays, A’s

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This week’s spin around the baseball blogosphere:

Please send submissions to ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

Top 50 Trade Candidates

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We waited to update MLBTR’s top trade candidate series for a bit, in recognition of the All-Star break lull. But things are starting to pick up quite a bit, and there’s plenty of change afoot as the list doubles in size from the most recent iteration. Drew Pomeranz, who sat in 13th position in our last list, was shipped in the biggest mid-season deal thus far. There are several other notable factors influencing the ranking you’ll see below; in particular, we’re now considering teams like the Yankees, White Sox, Royals, and Mariners as plausible sellers with the deadline nearing. None are fully committed in either direction as of yet, but there’s less time now for a dramatic change of fortune before August 1st.

Your weekly reminder: we’re not just ranking players by skill alone; we’re looking at overall asset value and trade likelihood. To assess trade value, we’re starting with overall on-field ability — with a premium on the capacity to make an impact in the current season — and then adjusting for contract and market factors. With contenders’ needs in relatively sharp focus, limitations such as future contract status, age, and niche role (platoon bats, relief-only pitchers) tend to have less of a drag on value — though obviously they still matter quite a bit. With regard to the likelihood of a swap, the focus is on potential selling teams’ motivation to deal, with contract status, near and long-term roster fit, and overall competitiveness all weighing heavily. Some teams simply aren’t in a position at present where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.

On to the ranking:

1. Aroldis Chapman, RP, Yankees — Though the Yanks are still in reasonable range for contention, word is that they’re readying to deal Chapman. The Cuban Missile promises to be a powerful weapon for whoever acquires him, with many of the best teams in baseball lining up for that chance — reportedly including the Indians, Cubs, Nationals, Dodgers, and Giants.

2. Jonathan Lucroy, C, Brewers — The Indians are said to have opened talks on Lucroy after losing Yan Gomes and receiving bad news on Michael Brantley’s health, and the Rangers are also seemingly kicking around the idea of a move. Though it’s not certain he’ll be dealt, Lucroy still has the best blend of trade likelihood and value — he’s a top player at a premium defensive position who is playing on a super-cheap deal with control remaining.

3. Josh Reddick, OF, Athletics — Extension talks seem to be going nowhere, so it’s probably time for the veteran to be shipped out of Oakland. Having resumed his solid form at the plate since returning from the DL, he’s the best all-around rental outfielder available. The Cubs are among the teams said to be looking at Reddick.

4. Jay Bruce, OF, Reds — Bruce’s previous placement at the top of this list was driven largely by the fact that he was so obviously available. With the picture now more clear in other areas, and Bruce cooling off of late, he’s sliding a bit.

5. Andrew Cashner, SP, Padres — It seems all but certain that Cashner will be traded; indeed, there was buzz that he’d be gone before his last start. After turning in two quality outings, rivals organizations might be more willing to take a chance on the up-and-down righty.

6. Rich Hill, SP, Athletics — It’s hard to place Hill, who has been unbelievable all year but has dealt with two seemingly minor but nagging injuries. The most recent one is a blister that hasn’t healed enough to allow him to get back in the rotation. Hill can still be traded even if he isn’t able to make it back before the deadline, but that possibility only makes his already hard-to-gauge value all the more uncertain.

7. Carlos Beltran, OF, Yankees — Beltran is another Yankee who’s tough to place, albeit for slightly different reasons. We haven’t heard a ton of chatter on the veteran, who is hitting at near-peak rates at 39 years of age. He’s a pure rental who is eligible for free agency this winter.

8. Steve Pearce, IF/OF, Rays — Pearce is matching his 2014 breakout with a .322/.393/.552 slash. He has also been hurt, which has been an issue in the past, but with a meager $4.75MM salary for the season he’d be quite an affordable addition. He isn’t a great defender, but Pearce has proven capable of playing first, second, and the corner outfield, so he could provide plenty of plate appearances to the right organization.

9. Jake Odorizzi, SP, Rays — Odorizzi has been far from dominant — he owns a 4.39 ERA in 110 2/3 innings — but he’s steady, young, cheap, and controlled for three more seasons. He still seems the most likely Rays pitcher to change hands.

10. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Phillies — It has been a very strong campaign for the 29-year-old, who carries a 3.84 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 over 119 2/3 frames. It’s exactly what the Phils were hoping for when they added him over the winter, as he has been a nice stabilizing force and now looks like a solid trade piece in a market that doesn’t feature many useful rental starters.

11. Ervin Santana, SP, Twins — Teams prioritizing steadiness and durability will likely zero in on Santana, who’s a good bet to provide some reliable innings down the stretch and over the rest of his contract.

12. Matt Moore, SP, Rays — If, instead, you’d rather roll the dice on upside, then perhaps Moore is your guy. His contract is no longer quite as enticing as it once was, particularly since he can’t seem to turn the corner on the hill, but if he can find his form he’d once again be a premium asset.

13. Yunel Escobar, INF, Angels — It’s hard to discount the run he’s been on the last two years too much, but clubs will surely be wary of the fact that he’s doing it with a .350-ish BABIP. Without much pop in the bat, and a middling glove, there are limits to his value.

14. Danny Valencia, INF, Athletics — Valencia has fallen back at the plate and recently was moved off his regular third base gig. That seems to suggest that he’s not a major part of Oakland’s plans for 2017, but it also doesn’t necessarily do much for his trade value.

15. Melvin Upton Jr., OF, Padres — Trade chatter is picking up quite a bit on the resurgent Padres outfielder. His big contract will factor heavily in the market, as the Ubaldo Jimenez rumors would suggest, but he looks to be quite a useful addition for a contender in need of a fill-in starter or oft-used fourth outfielder.

16. Peter Bourjos, OF, Phillies — This feels a bit high for a player who is hitting quite well now, but hasn’t ever been a consistently useful offensive player. But that’s not the real reason for it. Instead, with Bourjos showing some life at the plate, he looks like an obvious player to change hands. His speed and defense make him a nice bench piece down the stretch, and with free agency coming, the Phils don’t have much reason not to cash him in.

17-19. Outfielders Ryan Braun (Brewers), Carlos Gonzalez & Charlie Blackmon (Rockies) — This trio is tough to gauge. You could argue that the Brewers ought to sell Braun now, but is the market really willing? And is Rockies owner Dick Monfort ready to pack in not only on 2016, but also ding the team’s near-future outlook by dealing away a high-quality outfielder?

20-21. Shortstops Eduardo Nunez (Twins) & Zack Cozart (Reds) — These are the two best middle infielders on the market — Cozart is an outstanding true shortstop, while Nunez has experience all over — but we’re still not seeing clear demand crystallize.

22-23. Relievers Jeremy Jeffress & Will Smith, Brewers — Milwaukee’s quality and controllable relievers could be traded or not, but odds are at least one will change hands as teams that miss out on bigger targets go looking for a backup plan.

24-26. Starters Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies), Ivan Nova (Yankees) & Jon Niese (Pirates) — There’s always demand for innings on the trade market, and these three starters bring that along with at least some hope for more.

Keep reading for the rest of the list and other names that were considered …

Read more

Marlins Place Wei-Yin Chen On DL With Elbow Sprain

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The Marlins have placed left-hander Wei-Yin Chen on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to Thursday) with a sprain in his pitching elbow and recalled right-hander Jarred Cosart from Triple-A New Orleans to take his place, reports Joe Frisaro of MLB.com (Twitter link). Cosart will start Monday against the Phillies.

[RELATED: Updated Marlins Depth Chart]

There’s no word on how much time Chen will miss, but elbow injuries are always worrisome with pitchers, and his absence could affect the Marlins’ trade deadline plans. Potentially available starters like Jeremy Hellickson and Andrew Cashner, to name two of several, have been connected to Miami in recent weeks as the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline nears. The Marlins are 53-45 and currently in possession of a National League Wild Card spot, but their lead is tenuous and their rotation could use more capable options to complement ace Jose Fernandez and underrated southpaw Adam Conley.

Chen, whom the Fish signed to a five-year, $80MM deal in the offseason, hasn’t produced to expectations yet in South Florida. The former Oriole has posted quality strikeout and walk rates per nine innings (7.28 and 1.88, respectively), but his 4.99 ERA over 110 frames is more than a full run worse than his 3.89 career mark. Nevertheless, with only Tom Koehler and 24-year-old Jose Urena around as viable options to team with Fernandez and Conley, the loss of the 31-year-old Chen is a notable one for the Marlins.

A former high-end prospect, Cosart experienced significant success in 180 1/3 innings with the Astros and Marlins in 2014, though he hasn’t been the same since. Cosart put up a 3.69 ERA/3.77 FIP/4.15 xFIP in 180 1/3 innings that year. In 84 1/3 frames with Miami dating back to last season, those figures have worsened significantly, plummeting to 5.12/5.12/4.63. While Cosart has generated ground balls at a 57.3 percent clip since 2015, he has offset that by striking out too few hitters (5.87 per nine) and walking far too many (5.12). Cosart hasn’t fared well at the Triple-A level this year, either, so his chances of serving as a respectable fill-in for the starter-needy Marlins look slim.

Diamondbacks To Promote Braden Shipley

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The Diamondbacks are calling up well-regarded pitching prospect Braden Shipley from Triple-A Reno to start Monday against Milwaukee, according to ESPN.com.

Shipley, 24, has been a member of the Arizona organization since it selected him 15th overall in the 2013 amateur draft. Baseball America ranked the right-hander as the 26th-best prospect in baseball after the 2014 campaign, but he fell to 77th following last season. BA noted then (subscription required and recommended) that Shipley struggled with mechanics and consistency issues with his breaking ball in the first half of 2015 with Double-A Mobile. But Shipley still produced quality results last season, especially in the second half, and BA lauded his ability to maintain his arm speed and hit 93 to 96 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. Shipley also possesses a plus, hard-to-identify curveball that sits around 84 mph and a solid changeup that ranges from 83 to 85 mph. Additionally, his athleticism and background as a shortstop – where he played early on at the University of Nevada before turning his focus to pitching – make him a formidable fielder. With all of that considered, at the end of last season, BA regarded Shipley as a potential No. 3 starter in the majors. Given that he has since risen in the outlet’s rankings, the same likely holds true now. MLB.com is also bullish on Shipley, placing him 58th in its prospect rankings and offering a scouting report similar to BA’s.

In the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this season, Shipley has recorded a 3.70 ERA, 5.81 K/9 and 1.66 BB/9 over 119 1/3 innings. He’ll hope to match or better those numbers with last-place Arizona, whose rotation has been among the majors’ worst this year. Two of their starters, ace Zack Greinke and Rubby De La Rosa, have been on the disabled list for extended periods of time. Meanwhile, high-profile offseason pickup Shelby Miller is in Reno after performing horribly during the first few months of the season and might not last much longer with the organization.

If Shipley takes advantage of his opportunity and stays in the majors for the rest of the year, he’ll fall short of Super Two status. The maximum 2016 service time Shipley can accrue at this point is 70 days. He’ll be eligible for arbitration after the 2019 campaign and under team control through 2022 if he remains in Arizona for the remainder of the season.

Diamondbacks Make Shelby Miller Available

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Less than eight months after the Diamondbacks traded Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte and Aaron Blair to the Braves for Shelby Miller, Arizona has let teams know that the right-hander is available, reports Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Not surprisingly, the Diamondbacks’ asking price for the 25-year-old Miller isn’t nearly as high as the cost they paid for him, according to Passan.

Miller was a quality option from 2013-15 as a member of the Cardinals and Braves, with whom he combined to post a 3.27 ERA, 7.48 K/9, 3.25 BB/9 and 42.3 percent ground-ball rate over 561 2/3 innings. Because of that consistent effectiveness, the Braves first deemed him worthy enough to receive in exchange for star outfielder Jason Heyward in December 2014. The Diamondbacks then decided he warranted a Swanson, Inciarte and Blair package a year later.

While the Diamondbacks thought they were landing an in-his-prime, top-of-the-rotation starter, their move to give up Swanson (the No. 1  pick in last year’s draft), a solid center fielder in Inciarte and Blair (a 2014 first-round selection) for Miller was universally derided. No one expected Miller to experience such a precipitous fall from grace, though, as the D-backs optioned him to Triple-A on July 14 after a nightmarish 69 1/3 innings in the majors. In his first and potentially only season in Arizona, Miller has logged an ugly 7.14 ERA. A lousy K/9 (6.49) and BB/9 (4.41), not to mention a dip in velocity, have contributed to his struggles. He also missed some time earlier this year with a finger injury.

Thanks in part to its disastrous Miller gamble, an Arizona team that had designs on a playoff run entering the season is in last place in the NL West at 40-57, 18 games behind division-leading San Francisco and 13 out of a Wild Card position. And now the Tony La Russa- and Dave Stewart-led franchise looks ready to bail on Miller, who’s on a $4.35MM salary this year and is scheduled to go through arbitration two more times.

Deadline Notes: ChiSox, Rays, Orioles, Padres, Tribe

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Although the White Sox suspended ace Chris Sale after scratching him Saturday for cutting up their throwback uniforms before their game against Detroit, they’re not necessarily any likelier to deal the rumored trade candidate than they were before, writes FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. That doesn’t mean he’ll stay put, though, and given the lack of high-quality starters scheduled to hit the upcoming free agent market, numerous executives have told Rosenthal that the White Sox might be better off waiting to move Sale until the offseason. In their view, shopping Sale in the winter would enable Chicago to involve more teams in the sweepstakes. While Rosenthal regards Saturday’s incident as a hit to Sale’s reputation, he notes that it won’t turn interested teams off from wanting to acquire him. As for Sale, whether he remains a member of the White Sox or goes elsewhere, he’s “fine either way,” per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.

Other notes pertaining to the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline:

  • The last-place Rays are discussing their starting pitchers with at least 10 teams and will likely wait until right before the deadline to make any decisions, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi and Matt Moore have been particularly popular in the rumor mill lately. Other Rays who could switch homes include hot-hitting infielder Steve Pearce and right-handed swingman Erasmo Ramirez, per Topkin.
  • The chances of the Orioles acquiring outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. from the Padres are as high as 45 percent, a high-ranking O’s source told Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. Still, a deal remains somewhat unlikely, cautions Schmuck, who notes that money could complicate the rumored trade involving Upton and Orioles righty Ubaldo Jimenez. Upton has $22MM coming his way through 2017, while Jimenez will rake in another $18MM over the same period, and Schmuck doesn’t expect a swap to occur without the Orioles eating some of Jimenez’s contract. In the meantime, Upton is out of the Padres’ lineup Sunday, relays Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune, though a move isn’t imminent. Manager Andy Green wanted to give the 31-year-old Upton a day off with “everything swirling around him” (Twitter links)
  • Given that Jimenez went on the paternity list Saturday, the Orioles aren’t allowed to trade him for three days, tweets Heyman. Moreover, there remains work to be done between the O’s and Padres on a possible deal, according to Heyman (Twitter links).
  • Indians closer Cody Allen would be open to a role change if the team were to acquire another ninth-inning option by the deadline, he told Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (Twitter link). Cleveland is reportedly one of the clubs in on the Yankees’ Aroldis Chapman, who would likely supplant Allen as the Tribe’s go-to arm in the ninth. Allen has been among the game’s best closers in his own right since taking the helm in 2014. The hard-throwing 27-year-old has converted 19 of 21 save chances this season while posting a 2.59 ERA, 11.02 K/9, 3.89 BB/9 and 46.3 ground-ball rate over 41 2/3 innings.

White Sox Suspend Chris Sale

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SUNDAY: The White Sox have issued a five-day suspension to Sale as a result of his Saturday behavior. He’ll be out of action through Wednesday.

“Chris has been suspended for violating team rules, for insubordination and for destroying team equipment,” Hahn stated. “While we all appreciate Chris’ talent and passion, there is a correct way and an incorrect way to express concerns about team rules and organizational expectations.”

Hahn added that the White Sox still believe Sale can be part of the solution for the franchise (Twitter link via Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago).

SATURDAY: The White Sox scratched superstar left-hander Chris Sale from his start Saturday in Detroit, which Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet was first to report (Twitter link). Given that Sale has begun generating significant trade buzz this week, speculation initially ran rampant that the White Sox had a deal in place to move the 27-year-old. That isn’t the case at the moment, though, as Chicago actually scratched Sale because of a pregame “clubhouse incident.”

“Chris Sale has been scratched from tonight’s scheduled start and sent home from the ballpark by the White Sox due to a clubhouse incident before the game,” senior vice president and general manager Rick Hahn said in a team-issued press release (Twitter link via Paul Skrbina of the Chicago Tribune). “The incident, which was non-physical in nature, currently is under further investigation by the club.”

Sale got into an altercation with front office staff, which began in “silly” fashion and blew up into a bigger argument, tweets Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (links here). Amazingly, the fight centered on Sale’s disdain for the White Sox’s throwback uniforms. Sale didn’t want to put them on, so he cut all of them up to prevent anyone from wearing them, relays Tommy Stokke of FanRag Sports (via Twitter). FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal subsequently corroborated Stokke’s report, adding that Sale first requested Chicago not wear the uniforms because they’re uncomfortable. When the White Sox declined, Sale became livid because, in his view, the franchise decided to prioritize p.r. and jersey sales over winning (links to Twitter).

This isn’t the first off-the-wall dust-up of the year featuring Sale, who lashed out at team president Kenny Williams in March after first baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche retired because the White Sox requested that he bring his son, Drake, into the clubhouse less frequently. Saturday’s disagreement did not include Williams, per Rosenthal (Twitter link).

Sale’s issues aside, he’s unsurprisingly still drawing interest from elsewhere as the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline nears. The White Sox are continuing to discuss him with other teams, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). One team with interest in Sale is the rebuilding Braves, via reports from both Chris Cotillo of SB Nation and David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links). Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported earlier Saturday that the White Sox want five top-caliber prospects for Sale, whose years-long track record of on-field brilliance has continued this season. Sale’s strikeout rate (8.73 per nine innings) is at its all-time lowest mark, but he continues to limit walks (1.96 per nine) and runs (3.18 ERA). He’s also controllable for extremely team-friendly dollar figures through 2019.

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