Here are three things to keep an eye on around baseball this weekend…
1. Fringe contenders gear up for their final deadline push:
We’re 13 days out from the 2025 MLB trade deadline, and there are ten non-playoff clubs within three games of .500 and within six games of a Wild Card berth. The next two weeks of play will be critical, and if any one of those bubble clubs gets out to a tough start coming out of the break, it could tip them toward selling even sooner. A sweep for any of the Rays, Rangers, Twins, Angels, Royals, Guardians, Giants, Cardinals, Reds or D-backs could be backbreaking for their season. Every team in baseball has a three-game series beginning tonight.
Tampa Bay opens the second half hosting a disappointing Orioles club. The Rangers host the MLB-best Tigers. The Twins head to Coors Field to take on the Rockies. The Angels draw a tough task with a road series in Philly. Kansas City is on the road against the Marlins. The Guardians host the A’s. The Giants are set to head to Toronto. The Reds will take on the Mets in Queens. Most interestingly, the Cardinals and D-backs will square off against one another in Arizona — a series matchup that carries potentially major deadline ramifications.
2. Mets to honor David Wright, retire his number:
The Mets will pay tribute to a franchise icon Saturday when they retire David Wright’s No. 5 and induct him into the Mets Hall of Fame. The 42-year-old Wright’s career was cut far shorter than baseball fans — not just Mets fans — would have hoped. Neck, shoulder and spinal injuries derailed the latter stages of Wright’s career and put an end to his playing days when he still had two years remaining on his contract. From 2016-18 — his final active years — Wright only managed to play 77 games.
Prior to that, Wright was a perennial All-Star who won multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. The former No. 38 overall pick was the face of the Mets franchise for upwards of a decade. He made his MLB debut in his age-21 season and hit the ground running with a .293/.332/.525 batting line in 283 plate appearances. Wright received MVP votes in each of the next four seasons, and though he never won Most Valuable Player honors, he enjoyed four top-ten finishes. From 2004-14, Wright ranked among the very best all-around players in MLB. He batted a combined .298/.377/.494 with 230 home runs and 191 steals along the way. Wright’s 50.4 fWAR in that stretch ranked fifth among all major leaguers (pitchers and hitters alike), trailing only Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Chase Utley and Adrian Beltre.
Wright also represented the United States in both the 2009 and 2013 World Baseball Classics, where he became renowned for his heroics and earned the nickname “Captain America.” Wright ripped a two-run, walk-off single that scored Brian Roberts and Jimmy Rollins to push the U.S. to the semifinal round in ’09, and he broke open a first-round matchup against Italy with a grand slam as part of a massive 2013 performance in the tournament.
The Mets will host a “block party” at Citi Field that’s open to all and begins three hours before Saturday’s 4:10pm ET start time. Wright will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. He’ll become the tenth Met to have his number retired.
3. Milestones on the horizon for Trout:
Turning to another franchise icon, Angels star Mike Trout is on the cusp of reaching some historic round figures in his career. The three-time American League MVP and 11-time All-Star is sitting on 995 runs batted in and 395 home runs. There’s a decent chance that he’ll become just the 308th player in MLB history to reach 1000 RBIs this weekend in Philadelphia. It’s far less likely — though for a player with Trout’s power, not impossible — that he’ll reach 400 homers this weekend. But, Trout’s 400th round-tripper probably isn’t too far off. He’s slugged 17 long balls in just 299 plate appearances this season while batting .238/.365/.471 (127 wRC+). When Trout does cross that 400 threshold, he’ll be just the 59th player to ever get there. Along the way, he’ll pass Joe Carter (396), Dale Murphy (398), Al Kaline (399) and Andres Galarraga (399).
That is long overdue for David Wright. Glad to see.
If not for the injuries, David probably finishes with a Hall of Fame career, he was certainly on that path.
I hated David Wright with a passion growing up (grew up StL cardinals fan)
He is a borderline HOFer. Hes certainly more worthy than Dave Parker.
Wright was very good but injuries prevented him from being one of the best third basemen of all time
Parker on the other hand achieved spectacular results by winning two batting titles, two WS rings, an MVP award,, amassed over 500 doubles, 300 homers and won 4 silver slugger awards
He was named the NL AS MVP in 1979 by throwing out 2 base runners including at home plate from right field
Parker deserves to be inducted into the Hall
Counterpoint:
Parker had a really, really good 5 year stretch between 1975 and 1979 (bWAR’s of 6.3, 3.7, 7.4, 7.0, 6.7).
Outside of that, he only had one other decent year, 1985 (bWAR 4.7).
The rest of his career, he was basically a replacement level player.
Wright had 11 seasons in which he generated more then 2 bWAR. Parker only had those 6 years where he produced more then 2 bWAR.
For their careers, Wright played in only 1585 games to Parker’s 2466, yet Wright produced 49.1 total bWAR to Parker’s 40.1.
Parker had a slightly bigger 5 year stretch, but Wright was far more impactful in a shorter overall career.
I loved the Big Cat.
Imagine where Trout would be if he didn’t miss almost 600 games due to injury.
He should have been moved to corner outfield years ago and then to outfield dh after. I don’t know if he was stubborn about it or the team didn’t push hard enough but I really feel that hurt him health wise, even if it just sped up the inevitable.
How would moving him off CF helped him avoid injury? He gets hurt running the bases.
Curious how moving him off center would have stopped his hamate bone from breaking while batting 2023?
Trout would have at least 500 homeruns if he had stayed healthy these past few seasons. As it is, he’s still got time to reach 500, so far he’s been healthy again.
Imagine me, if I joined the MLB. I would both pitch and be able to play every position in the field. I would wear number 25 like Barry Bonds (but not after him) and play for any team i want because I am so good and handsome. I would strike out every batter I faced making every batter miss at every pitch I threw or shattered bat foul tip if I did pitch for contact. Hitting wise I could handle basically every pitch in or outside the zone hitting the ball to dead center 2-3ft over the wall with the ability to pull or push the ball wherever I want but over the fence and in fair territory and for a home run
It’s strange how little we hear about Trout this season. He’s been healthy, playing, and producing, yet it’s like he is a non-entity. I hear a lot more about Neto, Schanuel, Washington than Trout. I don’t think his play is impacting on their wins for one. He must be accruing his stats like he is in non-competitive portions of the game. Can’t really figure it out. Maybe people are just over Mike Trout.
Your ignorant and a moron. In the past three weeks Trout has hit home runs and singles driving in tying runs and he has driven in runs to take the lead. He did it again today with a 2-run single. Your one of those who reads about baseball, but never watch the games.
It is hard to catch everything. I admit I mainly concentrate on the games my team plays and read about the rest. There’s only so many hours in a day. I don’t believe Trout has done anything in the games I have watched against the Mariners, and that’s probably where I get my impression. (And historically he’s kicked M’s butt, just not so much lately.) Thanks for letting me know how he’s actually been doing.
Why be such a jerk? He said he hadn’t heard much about him. That is his perception is not wrong or ignorant. Next time try and be decent and tell him what Trout has done in the past couple weeks. Have a great day and know Dipoto is doing a great job in Seattle.
As a Mets fan in Florida, I had the privilege of seeing Wright play in the FSL. He was a great guy who was always available to fans. At the FSL All star game, each player was scheduled to sign for 30 min. David did that then stood around signing for anyone interested. It doesn’t look like much has changed. Capt. America was an apt nickname.
My good friend used to own a hair salon on the same Manhattan block he used to live at. He was also her client for years. Really stand-up guy by her account.
Im a Marlins fan in the abysmal state of Oklahoma. I can’t believe you are turning down the chance to root for one of the most beautiful franchises in sports history led by the man of God Derek Jeter in the Marlins
“Any sweep by the Reds, Royals, Twins, etc. will
“A sweep by the Royals, Reds, Twins (etc ) could be back breaking…” How so?
Surely they meant if those teams get swept
David Wright is one of the all-time great Mets. Well deserved. Congratulations.
The big series is Detroit versus Texas. Detroit’s on its biggest losing streak of the season at 4 games, all at home. Tonight’s game is huge. They looked worn down by the break, and so many went to the A.S.G.
The last 13 days of July are huge. Tiger fans will be watching on the edge of the seats. Last year the Central was very close, and Tiger fans are hoping the team can keep its double digit lead. Still, its baseball, and fortunes can change on a dime. GO TIGERS !!
I don’t think the Tigers/Rangers moved any needle either way. The Tigers still have a double digit lead on the division and the Rangers sweeping the Tigers doesn’t change anything for Detroit. The series to watch IMO is the Mariners/Astros.
Wright was a class act for mets, great #s & clubhouse leader. What coulda been…
Reds really need two of three from the Mets and nationals
“The next two weeks of play will be critical, and if any one of those bubble clubs gets out to a tough start coming out of the break, it could tip them toward selling even sooner.”
Yeah and if those teams play well they will be contenders and probably look to buy not sell. Why so negative????
Mets have a seemingly strange retired-numbers history.
Managers Stengel and Hodges early on, then Seaver in the 80s, then 42 along with everyone else, then nothing until Piazza in 2016. Now Wright will be the sixth in the last 4 years (Koosman, Hernandez, Mays, Gooden, Strawberry). It’s like ownership suddenly remembered they could do this.
Would welcome any insight from Mets fans.
The Wilpons didn’t care for building a historical brand. Cohen is a huge Mets fans that also happens to be their current owner.
That would explain it. Thanks!
David Wright’s career was very similar to that of Don Mattingly. Two New York corner infielders whose Hall of Fame trajectories were stymied by nagging back injuries.
Yeah I’m bummed out by both careers. Wright has a degenerative condition. I think if Donnie Baseball had played two decades later, he could’ve prolonged his career with modern medical advancements.
Hope to see Trout hit both milestones soon. Had it not been for injuries and the pandemic he’d be on his way to 500 HR by now.
I feel like if Wright’s back had held up he would have played long enough to get to 3000 hits, cementing his place in the Hall of Fame.
It’s a nice, if not long overdue move by the Mets to finally retire his number. Next they need to retire John Franco’s