As the July 30 trade deadline creeps closer by the day, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Bellinger undergoes testing:
The Cubs were dealt a potentially tough blow in their win over the Orioles last night when Cody Bellinger was struck in the hand by a 97mph pitch from lefty Cionel Perez. According to Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune, Bellinger’s middle finger was struck by the pitch, and he was removed from the game because he didn’t believe he could throw a baseball. Bellinger is set to undergo testing to determine the severity of the issue.
If Bellinger were to miss significant time, it could have a major impact on the Cubs as they attempt to work their way back into the conversations for an NL Wild Card spot. The club is currently 3.5 games back from a playoff spot despite a lackluster 44-49 record but has started to show signs of life with a 5-1 record in their last six games. The loss of Bellinger, who has slashed .269/.331/.410 in 344 trips to the plate this year while playing all three outfield spots and first base for Chicago this year, would not only throw a wrench into the club’s efforts to contend but also take a potential trade chip off the board for the Cubs in the event that they end up selling. If Bellinger requires a stint on the IL, prospect Alexander Canario could be a candidate take his spot on the active roster and in the outfield mix.
2. Alvarez exits:
Bellinger wasn’t the only star pulled from a game yesterday. Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez exited the club’s win over the Marlins due to tightness in his right hip. As noted by Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, manager Joe Espada said he doesn’t think Alvarez’s injury is serious enough to require imaging. That’s certainly good news, although it’s still somewhat concerning for Alvarez to be removed from the game just one day after returning to the lineup following a hit-by-pitch to the knee that occurred on Saturday. If the Astros decide to give Alvarez a few days to rest with the All-Star break just around the corner, players such as Chas McCormick, Joey Loperfido, and Trey Cabbage could get additional reps.
3. Bichette undergoes MRI:
A third star player exited play with injury yesterday when Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette was pulled from the club’s win over the Giants due to soreness in his right calf. That’s the same calf that required a stint on the IL last month. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet relayed after the game that Bichette was undergoing an MRI.
The 26-year-old Bichette has struggled to a bleak .222/.275/.321 slash line this season, but a club that has fallen 8.5 games out of the AL Wild Card race and has begun to consider selling at the deadline can ill afford to lose one of its most talented players. Bichette’s combination of injuries, underperformance and remaining season of contractual control make him an unlikely trade candidate, especially if the Blue Jays hope to return to contention in 2025. However, an extended absence for Bichette could push Toronto even further towards selling. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is on the injured list as well at the moment but would be a top candidate to step in at shortstop if he’s out for a lesser period of time than Bichette. Currently, Ernie Clement and Leo Jimenez are the top healthy options at shortstop on the active roster.
Honestly, a bit disappointed with the AL East leaders. Neither one seems to want to run away with it. I thought, for sure, the O’s would capitalize on the slump of the Yankees but no, they’re still only 2 games ahead of them. Oh well, should make for a fun end of the season if they’re still close to each other.
I think a lot of people overestimated the talent of the Orioles rotation and glossed over the loss of Bradish. There’s a huge drop off after Burnes and Rodriguez. The Yankees have been terrible for the past month but should round back into shape when they get healthy and add a few pieces at the deadline. This stretch run should be very interesting
What a difference a year makes. Last year, outside of Wells going to the minors for an extended time, Orioles SP staff from ST camp onward was pretty much intact all season. This year, oof. With this in mind, a repeat of 101 wins seems iffy at best. Yes?
Baltimore has the 8th best rotation in MLB by fWAR. You’d think that if it was just Burnes and Rodriguez, it would be worse. When you include the pen in the mix, they are 4th best for pitching WAR in MLB. I can’t imagine it’s the pitching that’s the issue.
The orioles have lost 3/4 of their opening day rotation to injury and the lead grows. The drop off my friend is the come back to earth yankees pitching staff and the massive holes in their lineup. Judge and Soto,Let’s pray for Rain. Healthy or not, the rotten apple is in for a long summer.
OY and LNut. So putting things in to perspective, though SP dynamic is different this year from last, from now onward is not as dire as I’m thinking?
@C Yards Jeff
I find it odd that people talk about teams like the Braves & O’s who had monster offensive years last year and somehow wonder why they’re struggling this year. Players aren’t MLB the Show robots and will cool off. However, to tell me that their pitching is the problem when they’re ranked 8th in SP and 4th overall by fWAR for pitching, seems a bit off the target.
OY. Point taken. And come to think of it, last week or so the offense has been kinda, well, offensive.
Look, if you are not a Mariners fan you are not allowed to use the word offensive to describe your teams’ batting prowess. Seattle has that word all to themselves!!
How are so many stars unable to get out of the f***ing way? Your $30 million contract was signed by you/the team with the expectation that you would perform, not be a tough guy and spend 2 months on the IL. Move
@16 for 20
Agreed. Guys nowadays are less tough. We had Charlie Hustle constantly giving 100% all the time. Mantle was playing his whole career through injuries, yet we’re struggling with keeping modern players on the field, who, I’m told, are more skilled and athletic. It doesn’t seem to be the case when they’re constantly on the IL. What a joke!
Heck yeah! Charlie Hustle banging 14 year olds and the Mick drinking himself into an early grave. Those were the days I tell you!
@drasco036
I’d take a team full of those guys over the crybabies we have today. Oh, I got a cut on my finger. I better go on the 60-day IL.
Old York, I’m 60 so I can appreciate what you’re saying but I don’t believe it’s because thr players today are less tough. I think it has to do with long-term, guaranteed contracts.
@rememberthecoop
It’s 100% the reason. They don’t play them full effort out of the concern for injuries and yet they still get injured. Look at Acuna Jr. He used to be great offensively and defensively but when he got injured for going full effort, the Braves said, enough of that, we’re find with less defense if it means he’s on the field… Well, now he’s not on the field, being injured for a baserunning mistake.
Now what are the owners going to do? Ask that players don’t actually play on the field and we simulate games?
“Long-term guaranteed contracts”..I think it’s a bit of both actually. Players clearly aren’t as physically or mentally tough as in previous years AND guaranteed contracts take away much of the drive, competitiveness and hunger that got them here in the first place. Any team that signs a Boras client after a career walk year deserves what they receive.
I continually find it interesting how so many assume that at some point players started demanding to be put on the IL for minor injuries because they’re “soft”.
It couldn’t be that the skyrocketing of player salaries and increase in knowledge on sport injury medicine has caused front offices to take steps to protect their investments.
Nope, it has to be that the soft, lazy players are begging to go on the IL all over the league
@johnrealtime – There’s a large subset of commenters here clamoring with their backwards thinking and there’s no changing that.
OY: You fail to take into account that advances in medical science, technology, and treatment methods over the last 50 years have changed the equation from players playing with and through unknown and untreated injuries.
That’s the chief reason why pitchers like Mel Stottlemyre and Don Gullett kept pitching with torn rotator cuffs and eventually were forced to retire prematurely, Stottlemyre at 32 and Gullett at 27, where today rest and improved diagnostic technology and surgical techniques might allow them to continue their careers.
Was ignoring or failing to diagnose career-threatening injuries really in anyone’s best interest?
@Blue Baron
I didn’t fail to account for this. The fact is, we have all this advanced medical science and we still can’t keep guys on the field, regardless. We’re over diagnosed at this point.
OY: My point is that today’s players are able to be on the field and play longer due to greater knowledge and improved technology BECAUSE they are rested and treated more effectively.
You did, in fact, fail to take change into account.
@Blue Baron
I disagree that I failed to account for that. Better tech should be ensuring these individuals are able to stay on the field. Instead, we’re getting non-stop injury announcements. Clearly, we can have as much medical tech as possible but it doesn’t prevent the players from being injured.
What value is there in having a player who only does DH because he can’t stay healthy and actually be a full-time player in the field? I don’t go to the ballpark to watch a guy from AA play the field because Mike Trout constantly needs to be rested. If Trout isn’t capable of playing anymore, then he shouldn’t be playing at all. 9 guys on a team should be playing as well, not 10. This isn’t little league.
OY: Whether or not a guy like Trout plays is for him and his team/employer to decide, not for random fans.
You don’t have to go to the ballpark if you don’t wish to.
@Blue Baron
Then you missed the point. I’ll leave it at that.
Actually, you missed the point, but OK.
Exactly. Especially on a 97 mph fastball. What was he thinking? He had all kinds of time to react. Said no one besides you.
Old York would take a team full of child molesters… let that sink in for a second.
@drasco036
We’re talking baseball players not what they do in their person life.
And it seems you’d prefer a bunch of crybabies that are constantly injured, unable to play and making trillions of dollars per year while you pay for premium seats to watch AA and AAA players play on the field.
Old man yells at cloud moment right here
He didn’t say that and you know he didn’t. While I’m also an old guy, I don’t share his belief that the players are less “tough,” but still, you’re making us Cubs fans look bad with that “child molester” bs.
@rememberthecoop
Another example of how we might not agree with each other but we can agree that some nonsense needs to be called out.
Thank you for your post.
Actually, he did and then he reinforced his statement.
How many posts did it take for that convoy to deteriorate?
Drasco, I know right? Tampa Bay would be blowing up his phone and he’d be all ears rn.
Bib Gibson and Don Drysdale threw as hard as these guys and at people’s heads. They managed to get out of the way.
Of course the hitters didn’t wear more armor than the average Army soldier and think they can crowd the plate and not get hurt either.
They didn’t throw as hard, the ball didn’t have nearly the movement, but they did have better control.
“97 mph fastball..no one besides you”…MLB players have amazing, incredible reflexes and often go full “Matrix” when getting out of the way of 95+ mph fastballs. If a Major League baseball player couldn’t avoid the pitched ball, then the ball simply could not be avoided by anyone.
“can ill afford to lose one of its most talented players.”
The thing is, Bichette hasn’t played like one of their most talented players this season. The Jays might be better off with one of the young replacements playing in his place.
IKF was a real loss for the Jays as he was making real contributions. Sadly, until Bo gets back to his old self, his loss doesn’t really hurt the team.
MRI machines, league wide, are busy. What happened to ‘rub some dirt on it?’ Somewhere Don Baylor is shaking his head.
Yes, these guys getting hit by 97 mph fastballs, etc., are sure wimps.
“Broken finger? Stick a popsicle stick on it and get back in the game!”
BTW, I doubt that every team had MRI machines handy in Don Baylor’s day.
Appreciate the insight, Lester. Medical advancements – got it.
The Cubs just need to start playing better. They aren’t built to sell. The NL Central is still very much up for grabs. If any team makes a big trade that could be the difference.
Alvarez is constantly hurt in some facet. The Astros need to stop playing him in LF since basically all of his injuries are leg related. Either permanent DH or teach him 1B.
“Teach him 1B”…A very interesting idea. It’s incredible that with the Astro’s embarrassing lack of production at 1B, that no one on the team or front office has already suggested or tried this. Good insights.
Why cant alvarez stay healthy? Serious Q
What is it abt him that he’s always hurt?
Jays shoulda traded Bo Bichette when they had the chance
Bichette will be back to his old quality hitting self but not probably this year. In addition to injuries, he has family problems going on and they are taking a toll on him as well as he just got a guaranteed contract which usually indicates the following year is a down year. Plus he is playing the 2nd best position for him on the diamond.
As scouted when he was in AA: “After you look at the entirety of Bichette’s MLB career, he will be seen as a below average defensive shortstop with a good bat. He will be often injured due to the strain of the SS position and his violent swing [especially as he gets older]. His core and wrists are the most vulnerable to injury from his swing. He is best suited to the second base position.”
jimmertee —Thanks for posting that. Good info.