Archives for July 2024

Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast

By Darragh McDonald | July 15, 2024 at 10:29am CDT

On the MLB Trade Rumors podcast, we regularly answer questions from our readers and listeners. With the next episode set for Wednesday, we’re looking for MLBTR’s audience to submit their questions and we’ll pick a few to answer.

We’re just over two weeks away from the July 30 trade deadline. If you have a question about the ongoing 2024 season, a future transaction, a look ahead to the offseason, or anything else baseball related, we’d love to hear from you! You can email your questions to mlbtrpod@gmail.com.

Also, if you want to hear your voice on the podcast, send us your question in audio form and we might play it. iPhone users can find instructions on how to do so here.

In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Angels Request Release Waivers On Miguel Sano

By Steve Adams | July 15, 2024 at 9:50am CDT

The Angels are releasing corner infielder Miguel Sano following last week’s DFA, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. He’ll be a free agent once he formally clears release waivers.

Sano returned to the big leagues with the Halos this season after not playing in 2023. A former All-Star and third-place Rookie of the Year finisher with the Twins, Sano looked ticketed for stardom earlier in his career but never consistently established himself as a middle-of-the-order hitter in Minnesota, despite possessing 80-grade power (on the 20-80 scale). He’s cleared 25 home runs in four different MLB campaigns, including a pair of 30-homer seasons, but has gone down on strikes in more than 36% of his career plate appearances and regularly graded as a poor defender at both infield corners.

From 2015-19, Sano turned in a .245/.338/.498 batting line with 118 home runs in 2051 plate appearances with the Twins (an average of 39 homers per 162 games played). His bat has tailed off significantly since that time as he’s struggled to stay on the field as well. In 903 plate appearances from 2020-24, Sano is a .207/.295/.428 hitter. That stretch includes a 30-homer showing in 2021, but that’s the lone time in the past five years he’s made an impact at the plate.

Sano never curbed his strikeout woes and, as his struggles intensified, began to walk less than in his earlier days. He hit just .083/.211/.133 in 71 plate appearances with the ’22 Twins, didn’t play in ’23, and posted an anemic .205/.295/.313 slash in 95 plate appearances as an Angel. He also missed nearly six weeks of the season with a left knee injury. Sano still has that huge raw power, which could land him a minor league deal with another club, but it seems likely he’ll need to slug his way back into the majors with a decent Triple-A showing.

BetterHelp 101: Understanding Online Therapy And How To Find Support (Sponsored)

By Tim Dierkes | July 15, 2024 at 9:45am CDT

This is a sponsored post from BetterHelp. As a BetterHelp affiliate, MLB Trade Rumors receives compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

As society’s knowledge of mental health grows, more treatment opportunities are available to a more significant number of people living with mental health challenges. One such option is online therapy, which allows individuals to receive mental health support from a device with an internet connection from any location.

What Is BetterHelp?

BetterHelp is an online therapy platform that works with a database of over 30,000 counselors, therapists, social workers, and psychologists from all 50 US states and some countries worldwide. This platform aims to break down barriers that often keep people from seeking help, such as financial burdens, a rural location with limited options for therapy, or a lack of accessibility in one’s area.

Understanding BetterHelp

BetterHelp may work differently than meeting with a traditional therapist. Below are some ways individuals can use online therapy via this service.

Signing Up

Signing up for BetterHelp often takes a few minutes. The initial sign-up process is a questionnaire which asks prospective clients about the following:

Reasons for seeking therapy and goals
The individual’s diagnosis or mental health challenge
Therapist gender preferences
Whether they’d like to meet with an LGBTQ+, Black, or Asian therapist
Preferences for individual, couples, or teen therapy
Gender, age, sexuality (optional), pronouns, and relationship status
Spiritual identity
Past experience in therapy
Intimacy challenges
Substance use habits

After filling out the questionnaire, which may take around five to ten minutes, prospective clients will be directed to fill out their name, email, and password. Then, they will be sent to the payment page, where they can choose a plan. After the payment has been processed, it often takes around 48 hours for a therapist to be matched with them.

Payment

BetterHelp plans are charged monthly for four weeks of therapy. The overall monthly cost covers four sessions with the therapist (one per week) and access to all of BetterHelp’s other resources, such as support groups and classes. Cost ranges from $65 to $100 per week, which can be more affordable than traditional therapy.

The match process

Therapists are matched with clients based on the client’s responses to the questionnaire upon signing up. The only limitation is that a therapist must be licensed to practice in the state the client lives in to be able to work with them. Clients can change providers at any time for any reason.

Using the platform

Individuals can log in through the app or website to use the BetterHelp platform. There, they can find their messages with their therapist, a journaling feature, options to schedule appointments, and extra resources. Through the settings section, clients can check their billing information, change their therapist, and edit their profile. Weekly sessions with a therapist can be held via phone, video, or live chat, all through the app or website.

Extra resources

BetterHelp offers resources that might not be offered by in-person providers, such as the following:

Weekly support groups
Online classes by mental health experts
Goal tracking options
Journaling and journal prompts
Worksheets

All features are included in the platform’s weekly price, so clients can access them without paying extra.

BetterHelp’s outreach

BetterHelp works with the broader community to offer support to non-profit organizations and individuals in need. They have given over 65 million dollars in discounts and financial aid to cover therapy for low-income individuals and donated over 95,000 months of free therapy to communities in need. BetterHelp partners with over 100 non-profit organizations.

Who might benefit from an online therapy platform?

Online therapy is often more flexible and convenient than in-person options. This option might benefit people with a busy schedule, such as parents, full-time workers, and athletes, who may not have the time to commute to an extra appointment. Many of the most evidence-based modalities, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), are available online.

Is online therapy effective?

Since 2021, four out of ten US adults have used this option. One study reported that over 71% of participants believed it was more effective than face-to-face therapy. Another study found that online therapy often led to increased quality of life for clients with anxiety and depression and was more affordable.

Takeaway

By seeking support online, financial, locational, and accessibility barriers can be removed, allowing more people to receive the support they seek. To get started, consider working with a platform like BetterHelp.

Live Chat With Fantasy Baseball Expert Nicklaus Gaut

By Tim Dierkes | July 15, 2024 at 8:57am CDT

Fantasy baseball expert Nicklaus Gaut will be holding a live chat today at 11am central time, exclusively with Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Use the link below to ask a question in advance, participate in the live event, and read the transcript afterward.

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The Opener: Home Run Derby, Draft Day 2, Soroka

By Nick Deeds | July 15, 2024 at 8:54am CDT

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.

Guardians Select Travis Bazzana With First Pick Of 2024 Draft

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 11:31pm CDT

The Guardians chose Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick of the 2024 amateur draft. Bazzana becomes the first second baseman to ever go 1-1 in the draft, as well as the first Australian-born player taken first overall. This is also the first time the Cleveland organization has ever had the top selection in the draft, as the Guardians beat the odds last December to win the draft lottery.

Cleveland plays its cards close to the vest about its intentions with the top pick, as several names were linked to the Guards, including some prospects a bit further down the draft board. There was some thought that the Guardians might go with a somewhat less-regarded prospect who would take a below-slot signing bonus (the 1-1 pick has an assigned slot value of $10,570,600), so that the Guards could spread their $18,334,000 bonus pool around to multiple players.

While it remains to be seen how much Bazzana will land with his bonus, it ended up being something of a chalk pick for the Guardians. Fangraphs, Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and The Athletic’s Keith Law all ranked Bazzana as the second-best prospect in this year’s draft class, while MLB Pipeline ranked Bazzana at the top of their list.

Bazzana (who turns 22 in August) had a handful of pro games under his belt already, appearing in 19 games with the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League from 2018-20. During his three seasons at Oregon State, Bazzana crushed NCAA pitching to the tune of 45 homers and a .360/.497/.660 slash line over 904 plate appearances. He added an MVP-level performance in the Cape Cod League last summer, with a 1.037 OPS in 158 PA for Falmouth.

Pundits are united in their praise of Bazzana’s hitting ability, citing his advanced approach, bat speed, hard contact rates, and plate discipline. (The latter factor might’ve particularly attracted the Guardians, who have long prized batters who can put the ball in play and avoid strikeouts.) Bazzana is already starting to show more power, with 28 of his 45 Oregon State home runs coming in his most recent college season. Beyond what he can do at the plate, Bazzana’s plus speed makes him a threat on the basepaths, stealing 66 bases in 77 attempts in college.

Defense is a bit of a question mark, as second base has been something of a default position since Bazzana is considered both too athletic to be a first base-only type. Baseball America’s scouting report notes that he could potentially play the outfield or even center field due to his athleticism, and the presence of Andres Gimenez at second base in Cleveland indicate that the Guardians could be open to testing Bazzana at other positions. That said, there is a consensus that he’ll be able to hit whenever he ends up on the field.

The Guardians had a 76-88 record in 2023, and would’ve received the 10th overall pick if the lottery picks adhered directly to last season’s team records. Cleveland had only a two percent chance of winning the first overall pick, and the Reds (who were 82-80 in 2023) had another surprising dose of lottery luck in winning the second pick, making it quite a night for Ohio’s two Major League teams.

In the second year of the draft lottery’s existence, the Guardians’ surprise win underscores the element of randomness that has now been introduced into the draft process, and the vagaries involved in the league’s desire to curb tanking. Cleveland has been one of baseball’s most consistent winning franchises over the last decade, yet its one-year blip in form in 2023 has now paid off handsomely in the form of a blue-chip prospect like Bazzana. The Guards enter the All-Star break back in first place in the AL Central, so both the present and the future are looking bright in Cleveland.

2024 MLB Draft, First Round Results

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 11:29pm CDT

This year’s amateur draft is officially underway, and we’ll be updating this post throughout the night with every first-round selection. More details and scouting reports on all these young players are available in pre-draft rankings from Baseball America, Fangraphs, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. As well, Pipeline has the breakdown of the slot values assigned to each pick in the first 10 rounds, as well as the bonus pool money available to all 30 teams.

The first-round picks…

Cleveland Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Cincinnati Reds: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia
Oakland Athletics: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Chicago White Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, 2B/SS, West Virginia
Los Angeles Angels: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep High School (MS)
Washington Nationals: Seaver King, SS/3B/OF, Wake Forest
Detroit Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)
Boston Red Sox: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
San Francisco Giants: James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Chicago Cubs: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Seattle Mariners: Jurrangelo Cijntje, LHP/RHP, Mississippi State
Miami Marlins: PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville High School (SC)
Milwaukee Brewers: Braylon Payne, OF, Elkins High School (TX)
Tampa Bay Rays: Theo Gillen, OF/MI, Westlake High School (TX)
New York Mets: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
Minnesota Twins: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State
Baltimore Orioles: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Los Angeles Dodgers: Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee High School (FL)
Atlanta Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguero High School (AZ)
San Diego Padres: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City High School (OK)
New York Yankees: Ben Hess, RHP, Alabama
Philadelphia Phillies: Dante Nori, OF, Northville High School (MI)
Houston Astros: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston
Arizona Diamondbacks: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View High School (AR)
Texas Rangers: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford

All 30 teams will have picks in the first round this year, though the Mets, Padres, and Yankees all had their first-round selections dropped back by 10 slots. These three teams surpassed the third luxury tax tier ($273MM) in 2023, and thus their punishment included a 10-space drop in their opening draft choice.

The 2024 draft will take place over three days, consisting of 20 rounds of selections. Rounds 3-10 will take place on Monday, rounds 11-20 will take place on Tuesday, and the draft’s first 74 picks will come off the board tonight. Those 74 picks consist of the first two proper rounds, the two Competitive Balance Rounds, two sets of compensatory rounds (giving picks to teams who lost qualifying offer-rejecting free agents), and two Prospect Promotion Incentive picks.

The two PPI selections will go to the Diamondbacks at 31st overall and the Orioles at 32nd overall, awarded since Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson fit all of the criteria for their teams to receive the bonus picks. Carroll and Henderson won Rookie of the Year honors, both young stars were included on their respective teams’ Opening Day rosters, and were rated as top-100 prospects in at least two of three sets of preseason prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and ESPN.

AL Notes: Soroka, Harvey, McCullers, Pederson

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 11:17pm CDT

Michael Soroka only three pitches in today’s outing before leaving with what the White Sox announced as right shoulder soreness. More will be known once Soroka undergoes testing, though shoulder inflammation brought an early end to both his 2022 and 2023 seasons, and he had other shoulder issues in his first two Major League seasons in 2018-19. Beyond these shoulder problems, Soroka missed almost the entirety of the 2020-22 seasons due to a pair of torn Achilles tendons, but he returned to the Show to pitch 32 1/3 innings of 6.40 ERA ball with the Braves last year.

Atlanta then shipped Soroka and four other players to Chicago in the Aaron Bummer trade last November, and Soroka’s first season with the Sox has been a struggle, as he has a 5.25 ERA over 72 innings and he lost his rotation job in May. Soroka’s 3.49 ERA as a reliever is a big step up from his 6.39 ERA as a starter, though this latest shoulder injury could bring another unwelcome wrinkle to his career. It could also impact Chicago’s trade deadline plans, as an impending free agent like Soroka is an obvious trade candidate, and a healthy multi-inning reliever would appeal to several teams.

More from around the American League as we head into the All-Star break…

The Royals started their deadline moves with a bang on Saturday, acquiring Hunter Harvey from the Nationals for third base prospect Cayden Wallace and Kansas City’s Competitive Balance Round A pick in this year’s draft. (Washington used the 39th overall pick on Cal catcher Caleb Lomavita.) “What we came to realize is if you’re going to acquire a quality relief pitcher with years of control, it’s not going to be a comfortable trade to make. You’re going to have to give up something to get something,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters. K.C. was known to be looking for bullpen help, and Harvey brings “great depth” to the relief corps, though Picollo said the team was “happy with” James McArthur’s work as closer. “The depth was the focus for us and having more options at the back end of the game,” Picollo said.
Astros GM Dana Brown provided an update on Lance McCullers Jr. during a pregame radio appearance today (hat tip to Chandler Rome of The Athletic). McCullers’ rehab from flexor surgery was halted earlier this week due to some soreness in his right arm, and Brown said “we just have to let time heal and we can’t push him.” A return by September to work as a reliever is a possibility, Brown said, which is itself notable since McCullers has started 127 of his 130 career big league games. A variety of injuries have cost McCullers the entirety of both the 2019 and 2023 seasons, and limited him to 265 innings over the 2020-22 campaigns. The exact nature of McCullers’ latest issue isn’t known, but Brown somewhat ominously said that the righty had gotten “his second opinion” about the setback.
The Blue Jays were known to be pushing to sign Joc Pederson last winter, before Pederson landed with the Diamondbacks on a one-year deal worth $12.5MM in guaranteed money. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith recently spoke with Pederson about his offseason talks with Toronto, and Pederson said he had a FaceTime conversation with GM Ross Atkins and manager John Schneider that seemed to go well, though negotiations didn’t progress much further. “They just I guess didn’t want me as bad as some other teams and weren’t able to really put together an offer when it was time for me to make a decision….From the conversations we had on the phone and how interested they were in adding a left-handed bat, their actions didn’t match their words, I guess you could say,” Pederson said. “They said everything went really well and then didn’t want to offer what other teams did.” The veteran slugger didn’t have any displeasure with how things worked out, and even left the door open to potentially play for the Jays in the future. Pederson is having an excellent season as a righty-mashing DH in Arizona, hitting .273/.374/.498 with 13 homers over 277 plate appearances with the D’Backs.

Padres Notes: Arraez, Tatis, Musgrove

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 10:21pm CDT

The Padres completed their first half with a 6-3 loss to the Braves, and San Diego enters the All-Star break with a 50-49 record and a +12 run differential. While the National League wild card race is still very crowded, the Padres are a game out of a playoff spot and still in good position to make a run in the second half, though they’ll need good health and continued production from their star players to make it happen.

With this in mind, Luis Arraez told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) today that he won’t be playing in Tuesday’s All-Star Game. Arraez was named to the NL’s bench squad and will still attend the festivities in Arlington since his parents and sister will be in attendance at the Midsummer Classic for the first time, but the infielder won’t be taking the field because “I need the rest” for his injured left thumb.

Arraez jammed his thumb while sliding into third base during the Padres’ 9-7 win over the Nationals on June 25, and has since been trying to play through some serious discomfort whenever he fields the ball or takes a swing. Scans haven’t revealed any structural damage to the thumb, but Arraez recently told Acee and company that he has been wrapping the base of his thumb for every game.

“I don’t feel 100 percent. But every time I touch the line, I want to give 100 percent to the manager and to my teammates,” Arraez said.

It is a testament to Arraez’s toughness and ability that he has still continued to hit even while playing through this pain, even if his power has been even more limited by his thumb injury. Arraez is batting .309/.321/.346 over 56 plate appearances in the 13 games he has played since hurting his thumb, yet only two of his 17 hits have been for extra bases (both doubles). Though Arraez is known for his contact hitting moreso than his power, that .346 slugging percentage is well below the .427 career mark he posted in his first five MLB seasons with the Twins and Marlins.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is also hoping to take a step towards getting back onto the field when he undergoes an MRI during the All-Star break. Tatis was placed on the 10-day injured list on June 22 due to a right femoral stress reaction, and told The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and other reporters on Friday that he was no longer feeling any pain in his right leg. This is good news considering the uncertain nature of the injury, though while Tatis said he will “definitely” play again in 2024, he didn’t have any other updates on when exactly he might be able to return.

The fact that the injury was potentially seen as season-ending is certainly a concern, and itself perhaps a sign that Tatis isn’t out of the woods of being on a path to full fitness. The upcoming MRI will potentially shed some light on a recovery timetable, and for now, Tatis’ baseball-related activity has been limited to only dry swings.

Moving from lineup injuries to rotation injuries, Joe Musgrove is slated for a full bullpen session on Wednesday. Musgrove is eligible to return from the 60-day IL when his minimum absence time is up in late July, but his return from bone spurs in his right elbow will surely be delayed into August since the righty is only just in the early stages of his throwing progression. As per Acee, Musgrove will limit himself to throwing only fastballs in his first couple of bullpen sessions.

Between this IL stint and another visit to the 10-day IL due to triceps tendinitis at the beginning of the season, Musgrove has thrown only 49 1/3 innings in 2024, and struggled to a 5.66 ERA. This marks the second straight injury-marred year for Musgrove, as a broken toe and shoulder inflammation limited him to 97 1/3 innings in 2023, though he was more effective when he did pitch, delivering a 3.05 ERA.

Yankees Notes: Stanton, Soto, Brubaker

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 9:27pm CDT

Giancarlo Stanton hasn’t played since June 22 due to a left hamstring strain, and the slugger said at the time of his 10-day IL placement that he figured to be out for around four weeks. That timeline look to be pretty accurate, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and other reporters that Stanton is “really close” to being activated from the injured list. While Stanton won’t be ready on Friday for the Yankees’ first game of the second half, Boone said Stanton’s return isn’t expected to last much beyond that point, and Stanton might not even require a minor league rehab assignment.

Considering how injuries have often wrecked havoc on Stanton’s career, missing “only” a month counts as a relatively good outcome for the former NL MVP. Leg and hamstring injuries in particular have plagued Stanton, and (as Hoch noted) this is the eighth time Stanton has visited the injured list during his six seasons in a Yankees uniform.

These injuries started to impact Stanton’s production in 2022-23, but he got off to a nice start this year, hitting .246/.302/.492 with 18 homers in 281 plate appearances. Usually hitting either fifth in the lineup or as the cleanup hitter behind Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, Stanton provided some pop to a New York batting order that has been lacking in consistency apart from those two superstars. In the 19 games since Stanton hit the IL, the Yankees have gone 6-13, and enter the All-Star break a game behind the Orioles for the AL East lead.

The trio of Soto, Judge, and Stanton is a fearsome sight for opposing pitchers, but beyond Stanton’s hamstring issue, Soto is also not exactly 100 percent as he continues to play through soreness in his right hand. Soto has been bothered by the injury since hurting his hand on a slide into home plate in a June 28th game against the Blue Jays, even he has continued to mash at the plate.

“I’ve been grinding through it,” Soto told Hoch and other reporters today. “It’s right there. It’s been good so far. I’ve just got to make sure I hit the ball.” The star outfielder is still planning to play in the All-Star Game, which Boone said is fine with the team as long as Soto is comfortable.

In other Yankees injury news, JT Brubaker’s recovery from Tommy John surgery has hit a roadblock in the form of an oblique strain. Brubaker suffered the injury during his Triple-A rehab outing last Thursday, and has been shut down for the time being.

It’s another tough blow for Brubaker, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022 and missed all of the 2023 season recovering from his TJ procedure. New York acquired the right-hander from Pittsburgh at the start of this season with an eye towards using Brubaker as rotation depth once he was healthy, and he has tossed 13 2/3 innings over five rehab games to date. The severity of the strain isn’t yet known, but given how more serious types of oblique strains can linger, it is possible that Brubaker might not be able to return to action this season.

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