Archives for 2025

2025-26 MLB Free Agents

By Tim Dierkes | August 4, 2025 at 12:13pm CDT

The following players project to become free agents after the 2025 season. The player’s 2026 age is in parentheses.

Updated 8-4-25

Catchers

Austin Barnes (36)
Victor Caratini (32)
Elias Diaz (35) – $7MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Austin Hedges (33)
Danny Jansen (31) – $12MM mutual option with a $500K buyout
Luke Maile (35)
Martin Maldonado (39)
James McCann (36)
Tom Murphy (35) – $4MM club option with a $250K buyout
Tomas Nido (32)
Salvador Perez (36) – $13.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
J.T. Realmuto (35)
Gary Sanchez (33)
Jacob Stallings (36)
Christian Vazquez (35)

First Basemen

Pete Alonso (31) – can opt out of remaining one year and $24MM
Luis Arraez (29)
Josh Bell (33)
Yandy Diaz (34) – $12MM club option (no buyout)
Wilmer Flores (34)
Ty France (31)
Paul Goldschmidt (38)
Rhys Hoskins (33) – $18MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout
Josh Naylor (29)
Ryan O’Hearn (32)
Salvador Perez (36) – $13.5MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Carlos Santana (40)
Dominic Smith (31)
Donovan Solano (38)
Rowdy Tellez (31)
Justin Turner (41) – $10MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
LaMonte Wade Jr. (32)

Second Basemen

Ozzie Albies (29) – $7MM club option with a $4MM buyout
Cavan Biggio (31)
Kyle Farmer (34) – $4MM mutual option with a $750K buyout
Adam Frazier (34)
Jose Iglesias (36)
Nicky Lopez (31)
Brandon Lowe (31) – $11.5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jorge Mateo (31)
Jorge Polanco (32) – $8MM mutual option with a $750K buyout (converts to a $6MM player option at 450 plate appearances)
Luis Rengifo (29)
Brendan Rodgers (29)
Amed Rosario (30)
Gleyber Torres (29)

Shortstops

Tim Anderson (33)
Orlando Arcia (31) – $2MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Bo Bichette (28)
Willi Castro (29)
Ha-Seong Kim (30) – can opt out of remaining one year and $16MM
Isiah Kiner-Falefa (31)
Dylan Moore (33)
Kevin Newman (32) – $2.5MM club option with a $250K buyout
Miguel Rojas (37)
Trevor Story (33) – can opt out of remaining two years and $55MM

Third Basemen

Jon Berti (36)
Alex Bregman (32) – can opt out
Paul DeJong (32)
Enrique Hernandez (34)
Yoan Moncada (31)
Max Muncy (35) – $10MM club option
Luis Rengifo (29)
Eugenio Suarez (34)
Luis Urias (29)
Gio Urshela (34)
Ildemaro Vargas (34)
Tyler Wade (31) – $1MM club option with no buyout

Left Fielders

Miguel Andujar (31)
Mark Canha (37)
Michael Conforto (33)
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (32) – $18MM player option
Austin Hays (30) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out of final two years, $33MM
Tommy Pham (38)
Rob Refsnyder (35)
Chris Taylor (35)
Alex Verdugo (30)
Jesse Winker (32)

Center Fielders

Harrison Bader (32) – $10MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout
Trent Grisham (29)
Garrett Hampson (31)
Travis Jankowski (35)
Manuel Margot (31)
Cedric Mullins (31)
Luis Robert Jr. (28) – $20MM club option with a $2MM buyout
Michael A. Taylor (35)

Right Fielders

Cody Bellinger (30) – $25MM player option with a $5MM buyout
Adam Frazier (34)
Randal Grichuk (34) – $5MM mutual option with a $3MM buyout
Jason Heyward (36)
Max Kepler (33)
Ramon Laureano (31) – $6.5MM club option
Starling Marte (37)
Tyler O’Neill (31) – can opt out
Hunter Renfroe (34)
Austin Slater (33)
Lane Thomas (30)
Kyle Tucker (29)
Mike Yastrzemski (35)

Designated Hitters

Mitch Garver (35) – $12MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Rhys Hoskins (33) – $18MM mutual option with a $4MM buyout
Andrew McCutchen (39)
Ryan O’Hearn (32)
Marcell Ozuna (35)
Joc Pederson (34) – $18.5MM player option (if Pederson opts out, Rangers can void by exercising two-year, $37MM club option)
Kyle Schwarber (33)
Justin Turner (41) – $10MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Jesse Winker (32)

Starting Pitchers

Tyler Anderson (36)
Chris Bassitt (37)
Shane Bieber (31) – $16MM player option with a $4MM buyout
Paul Blackburn (32)
JT Brubaker (32)
Walker Buehler (31) – $25MM mutual option with a $3MM buyout
Griffin Canning (30)
Carlos Carrasco (39)
Dylan Cease (30)
Aaron Civale (31)
Alex Cobb (38)
Patrick Corbin (36)
Nestor Cortes (31)
Anthony DeSclafani (36)
Zach Eflin (32)
Erick Fedde (33)
Jack Flaherty (30) – $20MM player option
Chris Flexen (31)
Zac Gallen (30)
Lucas Giolito (30) – $14MM club option (becomes $19MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout if he pitches 140 innings in 2025)
Austin Gomber (32)
Jon Gray (34)
Kyle Hart (33) – $5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Andrew Heaney (35)
Kyle Hendricks (36)
Adrian Houser (33)
Shota Imanaga (32) – $57MM club option for 2026-28 or $15MM player option for 2026
Jakob Junis (33)
Merrill Kelly (37)
Clayton Kershaw (38)
Michael King (31) – $15MM mutual option with a $3.75MM buyout
Zack Littell (30)
Michael Lorenzen (34) – $12MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout if team declines its end
Kenta Maeda (38)
Tyler Mahle (31)
German Marquez (31)
Nick Martinez (35)
Steven Matz (35)
Dustin May (28)
John Means (33) – $6MM club option with no buyout
Miles Mikolas (37)
Wade Miley (39)
Frankie Montas (33) – can opt out of remaining one year and $17MM
Jordan Montgomery (33)
Charlie Morton (42)
Chris Paddack (30)
Freddy Peralta (30) – $8MM club option with no buyout
Martin Perez (35) – $10MM mutual option with a $1.5MM buyout
Cal Quantrill (31)
Jose Quintana (37) – $15MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Colin Rea (35) – $6MM club option with a $750K buyout
Chris Sale (37) – $18MM club option
Max Scherzer (41)
Michael Soroka (28)
Marcus Stroman (35)
Ranger Suarez (30)
Tomoyuki Sugano (36)
Jose Ureña (34)
Jose Urquidy (31) – $4MM club option
Framber Valdez (32)
Justin Verlander (43)
Brandon Woodruff (32) – $20MM mutual option with a $10MM buyout

Right-Handed Relievers

Shawn Armstrong (35)
Scott Barlow (33) – $6.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Ryan Brasier (38)
John Brebbia (36)
Chris Devenski (35)
Edwin Diaz (32) – $18.5MM player option
Seranthony Dominguez (31)
Pete Fairbanks (32) – $7MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Kyle Finnegan (34)
Chris Flexen (31)
Luis Garcia (39)
Kendall Graveman (35) – $5MM mutual option with a $100K buyout
Chad Green (35)
Hunter Harvey (31)
Ryan Helsley (31)
Liam Hendriks (36) – $12MM mutual option with a $2MM buyout
Raisel Iglesias (36)
Luke Jackson (32)
Kenley Jansen (38)
Pierce Johnson (35) – $7MM club option with a $250K buyout
Jakob Junis (33)
Tommy Kahnle (35)
Brad Keller (30)
Tyler Kinley (35) – $5MM club option with a $750K buyout
Andrew Kittredge (36) – $9MM club option with a $1MM buyout
Michael Kopech (30)
Jose Leclerc (32)
Jonathan Loaisiga (31) – $5MM club option with no buyout
Jorge Lopez (33)
Chris Martin (40)
Nick Martinez (35)
Phil Maton (33)
Shelby Miller (35)
Rafael Montero (35)
Andres Muñoz (27) – $6MM club option
Hector Neris (37)
Adam Ottavino (40)
Emilio Pagan (35)
Ryan Pressly (37)
Tanner Rainey (33)
Erasmo Ramirez (36)
Tyler Rogers (35)
Jordan Romano (33)
Joe Ross (33)
Paul Sewald (36) – $10MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout
Lucas Sims (32)
Drew Smith (32) – $2MM club option
Ryne Stanek (34)
Chris Stratton (35)
Hunter Strickland (37)
Robert Suarez (35) – two-year, $16MM player option for 2026-27
Erik Swanson (32)
Lou Trivino (34)
Jose Ureña (34)
Luke Weaver (32)
Devin Williams (31)
Kirby Yates (39)

Left-Handed Relievers

Scott Alexander (36)
Tyler Alexander (31)
Jose Alvarado (31) – $9MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jalen Beeks (32)
Ryan Borucki (32)
Genesis Cabrera (29)
Andrew Chafin (36)
Aroldis Chapman (38)
Danny Coulombe (36)
Caleb Ferguson (29)
Tim Hill (36) – $3MM club option with a $350K buyout
Tim Mayza (34)
T.J. McFarland (37)
Hoby Milner (35)
A.J. Minter (32) – $11MM player option
Sean Newcomb (33)
Wandy Peralta (34) – $4.45MM player option (contract also contains $4.45MM player option for 2027)
Colin Poche (32)
Drew Pomeranz (37)
Taylor Rogers (35)
Gregory Soto (31)
Matt Strahm (34) – $4.5MM club option
Brent Suter (36) – $3MM club option with a $250K buyout
Caleb Thielbar (39)
Justin Wilson (38)
Ryan Yarbrough (34)

Giants Release Austin Barnes

By Steve Adams | August 4, 2025 at 11:49am CDT

The Giants released veteran catcher Austin Barnes from their Triple-A affiliate, per the transaction log at MiLB.com. He’d signed a minor league deal with San Francisco after being designated for assignment and released by the Giants’ archrival Dodgers back in June.

Barnes, 36 in the offseason, played in parts of 11 seasons with the Dodgers but got into only 13 games this season before being cut loose. He tallied 44 plate appearances, during which he batted just .214/.233/.286. He totaled a similar 46 plate appearances with the Giants’ top affiliate after signing there and posted a .205/.326/.205 slash in that short audition. He’ll now head back to the market in search of other opportunities.

Barnes has always been more of a glove-first catcher, whose primary offensive contributions have come via his plate discipline. He’s a career .223/.322/.318 hitter who’s walked in just over 11% of his plate appearances in the majors. Barnes had a passable year at the plate in 2024 but hasn’t been an average or better hitter since 2022. Over his past 400 plate appearances in the big leagues, he’s batted .217/.283/.272 (57 wRC+).

Though he can’t be expected to return to even his modest career rate stats with the bat at this stage of his career, Barnes is a seasoned backstop who has worked with dozens of high-profile pitchers over his career — most notably, of course, Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw. That experience, paired with his reputation as a teammate and game-caller, figures to get him a look with a team in need of some catching depth down the stretch.

Braves Place Austin Riley On Injured List

By Steve Adams | August 4, 2025 at 10:03am CDT

The Braves have placed third baseman Austin Riley on the 10-day injured list due to an abdominal strain, per a team announcement. Atlanta also optioned outfielder Jarred Kelenic to Triple-A Gwinnett. In place of Riley and Kelenic, infielders Nacho Alvarez Jr. and Jonathan Ornelas were recalled from Gwinnett.

Riley, 28, missed about two weeks with an abdominal strain last month as well. He was only reinstated from the injured list on July 25. It’ll go down as a fleeting return — and one in which Riley didn’t really look right. He belted two homers between his IL stints, granted, but those were two of just four hits in a total of 39 plate appearances. Riley hit .108/.154/.297 and punched out 15 times (38.5%) before returning to the injured list.

It’s been a down year overall for Riley. His .260/.309/.428 batting line (104 wRC+) is solid enough but is also his least-productive run since a midseason debut in 2019 and the shortened 2020 season. Riley’s walk and strikeout rates are both the worst of his career in a full 162-game season (6% and 28.6%, respectively), and this year’s .168 ISO (slugging minus batting average) is his worst in any season at the major league level.

The team didn’t provide a timetable for Riley’s potential return. It’s common in situations like this, where a player heads back to the IL for the same injury after a brief return, for the second stint to be longer and a bit more cautious. Each injury is a situation unto itself, however. Manager Brian Snitker will presumably have more information the next time he meets with the media.

Kelenic, 26, only appeared in one game during this stint with the Braves and didn’t log a plate appearance. He was used as a pinch-runner. Atlanta optioned the struggling former top prospect to Gwinnett in mid-April after he opened the season with a bleak .167/.231/.300 batting line in his first 65 plate appearances. Things haven’t gone much better in Triple-A, where he’s taken 308 plate appearances and delivered just a .218/.289/.321 slash with a 27.3% strikeout rate. He’ll be arbitration-eligible for a second time this winter and, at this point, stands as a clear non-tender candidate.

Alvarez has spent most of the season nursing a wrist injury. He’s struggled in 32 big league plate appearances but been an on-base machine in a small sample of 84 trips to the plate in Gwinnett (.242/.405/.333). He’s still looking to break through with a full-time role in Atlanta after ranking among the system’s more promising minor leaguers for several years now.

Ornelas will be making his Braves debut the first time he takes the field. Atlanta picked him up in a cash swap with the Rangers back in May after Texas had designated the 25-year-old for assignment. He’s a righty-swinging infielder with experience at second, third and shortstop. Ornelas has batted only .184/.245/.224 in a tiny sample of 54 MLB plate appearances across three seasons with the Rangers. He’s a good runner with a solid glove who’s light on power. In 319 turns at the plate between the Triple-A clubs for Texas and Atlanta this season, he’s turned in a tepid .202/.320/.300 batting line.

The Opener: Dodgers, Cubs, Royals

By Nick Deeds | August 4, 2025 at 8:35am CDT

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Dodgers roster moves incoming?

Dodgers utilityman Tommy Edman exited yesterday’s win over the Rays due to what the team later announced was a right ankle sprain. Edman’s ankle has been bothering him throughout the season, and he spent a few weeks on the injured list due ankle inflammation earlier this year. Given that previous history, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Sonja Chen of MLB.com) that he “just [doesn’t] see how it’s not” an injury that will require Edman to hit the shelf. With Edman seemingly ticketed for the injured list today, Chen notes that infielder Max Muncy will likelyy be activated to replace him on the roster. Muncy has been out for a month due to a bone bruise in his knee that initially came with a six-week timeline for return, but he’s gotten back in action ahead of schedule and now appears to be ready to return to third base.

2. Soroka to make Cubs debut:

The trade deadline passed a few days ago, but a handful of players are still gearing up for their first appearance in a new uniform. That’s true of right-hander Michael Soroka today, who joined the Cubs in a trade that sent outfield prospect Christian Franklin and infield prospect Ronny Cruz to the Nationals. Soroka, 28, has struggled to a 4.87 ERA in 16 starts this year but has some strong peripherals, including a 3.33 xERA and a 3.62 SIERA. Soroka’s first opportunity with the Cubs will come at 7:05pm local time tonight when they take on the Reds and lefty Nick Lodolo (3.09 ERA in 22 starts).

3. Falter to make Royals debut:

Soroka isn’t the only hurler making his debut for a new team in the Midwest. Southpaw Bailey Falter was traded at the deadline for the second time in three years when the Pirates shipped him to Kansas City for lefty Evan Sisk and first base prospect Callan Moss. Falter is now tasked with helping a Royals team that’s currently without Kris Bubic, Cole Ragans, and Michael Lorenzen stay afloat. Falter has a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts for Pittsburgh this year, though his 4.55 xERA and 5.11 SIERA leave something to be desired. If the lefty can sustain the type of run-production he showed in Pittsburgh, he’d be a solid bridge to the eventual returns of Ragans and Lorenzen later this year. His first assignment will be taking down a tough Red Sox lineup when he pitches at Fenway Park later today opposite right-hander Brayan Bello (3.19 ERA in 19 appearances).

Brewers Place Jacob Misiorowski On 15-Day Injured List

By Nick Deeds | August 3, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

The Brewers announced this morning that they’ve placed right-hander Jacob Misiorowski on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to July 31) due to a left tibia contusion. Right-hander Logan Henderson was recalled to replace Misiorowski on the active roster.

Misiorowski was expected to start today’s game against the Nationals, but instead will head to the shelf. That the right-hander’s injury doesn’t involve his arm is surely heartening news for fans in Milwaukee, but it’s nonetheless worrisome for such a key piece of the club’s recent surge to miss any time at all while the team is locked in a heated division race with the Cubs. Any amount of time missed by such a talented arm will be a blow, but if Misiorowski misses only the minimum he could be back on the mound for the club’s series opener against the Reds on August 15.

The rookie was somewhat controversially named an All-Star this year despite having just five appearances in the majors under his belt prior to this year’s All-Star game, but Misiorowski has done everything in his power to justify that honor with a 2.70 ERA, 3.10 FIP, and an absurd 36.4% strikeout rate in 33 1/3 innings. Misiorowski’s huge strikeout numbers are somewhat balanced out by a 10.9% walk rate, but his overpowering stuff (which includes a fastball that averages 99mph on the radar gun) is more than enough to make up for those pitfalls when it comes to control.

Misiorowski isn’t the only injury of note the Brewers have suffered in recent days. Star outfielder Jackson Chourio is on the injured list due to a hamstring strain and might not be back until September. Another major piece of the club’s outfield puzzle, Sal Frelick, was pulled from yesterday’s game due to knee soreness in what the Brewers described (according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) as “precautionary.” With Chourio and Misiorowski out of commission for the time being and Frelick’s status uncertain, the Brewers are looking very banged up after a quiet trade deadline that saw them add only backup catcher Danny Jansen from the Rays and injured right-hander Shelby Miller of the Diamondbacks while trading away starter Nestor Cortes in a deal with the Padres.

The 21-year-old Henderson is another impressive young arm, as he made his big league debut earlier this year and has looked quite good in four spot starts. He’s posted a 1.71 ERA and a 3.05 FIP in 21 innings of work at the big league level this year while striking out 35.8% of his opponents, though a 3.59 ERA and 27.9% strikeout rate in 16 appearances at Triple-A is slightly less impressive. Regardless, Henderson will have the opportunity to further establish himself as the next man up in a crowded rotation mix that has sent arms like Chad Patrick and Tobias Myers to Triple-A as depth.

Phillies Release Oscar Mercado

By Mark Polishuk | August 3, 2025 at 11:57pm CDT

Outfielder Oscar Mercado enacted an opt-out clause in his minor league contract with the Phillies, MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams reports. The Phils have subsequently released Mercado, who now returns to the open market after inking his deal just at the start of Spring Training.

A veteran of five Major League seasons, Mercado hit .237/.289/.388 over 973 plate appearances with the Guardians, Phillies, and Cardinals from 2019-23. Most of his success remains limited to his impressive 2019 rookie year in Cleveland. Mercado then struggled to stay productive at the MLB level, and now has gone over two years since his last appearances in a big league game.

Subsequent minor league stints with the Padres, Dodgers, Tigers, and Phillies haven’t led to any more playing time in the majors, though Mercado’s .252/.373/.385 slash line over 378 PA at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in 2025 is respectable, and he has stolen 35 bases in 43 attempts. The right-handed hitter has also mashed lefties to the run of a .941 OPS this season, but didn’t get a call-up since the Phils opted to stay with in-house right-handed outfield options until landing Harrison Bader at the trade deadline.

It could be that Bader’s acquisition inspired Mercado’s decision to opt out, as his path to Philadelphia’s roster got even more crowded. The post-deadline roster landscape could mean more openings for the 30-year-old Mercado, if trades have opened up some roster holes and created some teams in need of outfield depth.

Astros Release Omar Narvaez

By Mark Polishuk | August 3, 2025 at 11:29pm CDT

The Astros released catcher Omar Narvaez from his minor league contract, KPRC2’s Ari Alexander reports. Narvaez spent a little under two months with Triple-A Sugar Land, and he hit .258/.402/.333 over 117 plate appearances with the Astros’ top affiliate.

Houston carried Yainer Diaz, Victor Caratini, and Cesar Salazar on the 26-man roster for about two and a half months, and Narvaez was added to the organization during this period. Salazar was optioned back to Triple-A after the All-Star break, however, and with some depth added back to the minor league ranks, Narvaez may have become expendable in the Astros’ view.

Narvaez has appeared in each of the last 10 Major League seasons, and his 2025 resume consists of four games with the White Sox earlier this season before he was released in May. A very solid hitter during his prime years, Narvaez has managed only a .201/.278/.286 slash line in 521 big league plate appearances since the start of the 2022 season, and he has been limited to minor league deal since the Mets released him from his two-year, $15MM contract partway through the 2024 campaign.

As an experienced backstop with a respected reputation as a defender, Narvaez figures to land somewhere on a team in need of catching depth. There was no mention of an opt-out clause in Narvaez’s deal, but it could be that if there was no clear path to Narveaz to make the Astros’ roster (barring multiple injuries), the two sides agreed to part ways so the catcher could look to land a job elsewhere.

AL Notes: Thornton, Buxton, Rays, Vargas

By Mark Polishuk | August 3, 2025 at 11:06pm CDT

The Mariners placed Trent Thornton on the 15-day injured list on Friday, and announced that the right-hander will miss the rest of the season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. Thornton had to be carted off the field after he suffered the injury in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 6-0 M’s win over the Rangers, as the reliever fell while leaving the mound to cover first base on an Adolis Garcia grounder. Follow-up tests revealed the unfortunate and expected news of an Achilles tear, and while a specific recovery timeline isn’t yet known, Thornton could be in jeopardy of missing some time at the start of the 2026 season.

Thornton has a 4.68 ERA over 42 1/3 innings for Seattle this season. A few particularly rough blowups have inflated his ERA, but his 17.8% strikeout rate is well below Thornton’s 26.2 K% from 2024. Owed a raise from his current $2MM salary in his final year of salary arbitration, Thornton will probably still be inexpensive enough that he won’t be non-tendered this winter, barring an unwelcome injury diagnosis. Since coming to the Mariners in a trade from the Blue Jays prior to the 2023 deadline, Thornton has been a workhorse out of Seattle’s pen, with a 3.65 ERA over 140 2/3 innings.

NL East Notes: Alcantara, Yankees, Anthopoulos, Ozuna, Winker, Kranick

By Mark Polishuk | August 3, 2025 at 9:53pm CDT

The Marlins were looking to land George Lombard Jr. or Spencer Jones from the Yankees in a Sandy Alcantara trade, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The Yankees naturally balked at moving either of their top prospects, and this gives the kind of idea of the big-ticket return Miami was trying to land for either Alcantara or Edward Cabrera. “No one came especially close” to prying Alcantara away from the Fish, which reflects both the big asking price and the inconsistent numbers the righty has posted (6.36 ERA over 109 innings) in his first season back after rehab from Tommy John surgery.

Other than trading Jesus Sanchez to the Astros and moving depth catcher Nick Fortes to the Rays, it was a quieter deadline than expected from the Marlins, who looked like clear-cut sellers a couple of months ago. However, the team’s plans may have been changed by an unexpected development — winning. A three-game sweep of the Yankees in Miami this weekend brought the Marlins’ record back to 55-55, as the Fish have won 25 of their last 35 games. It is a great sign of progress for the team’s rebuild at the very least, and even a longshot wild card race can’t be ruled out given how well the Marlins have been playing.

Some more from the last few days of NL East news…

Rafael Montero was the only veteran Atlanta moved at the deadline, as if anything, the Braves focused a lot of attention on adding short-term pitching help to its injury-riddled staff. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos told reporters (including the Athletic’s David O’Brien) on Thursday that since his team plans to contend again in 2026, the Braves put a high ask on any player that was controlled beyond the 2025 season. As for impending free agents like Raisel Iglesias and Marcell Ozuna, Anthopoulos said “we weren’t just going to give players away, move guys just to move them or just to dump salary….If we were going to move any player, we were going to have to get something back that we liked.” The executive added that the team didn’t approach Ozuna for his approval about any potential trades, as Ozuna has veto rights as a 10-and-5 player.
The Mets freed up some 40-man roster space for their deadline additions on Thursday by moving Jesse Winker to the 60-day injured list, which ensures that Winker will be now be out of action until at least September 9. There is concern that Winker’s entire season could be in jeopardy, as president of baseball ops David Stearns told MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo and other reporters that Winker’s back is “frankly not [recovering] at the pace that I think he or we were hoping.” Winker rejoined the Mets on a one-year, $7.5MM free agent deal last winter but he has been limited to 26 games due to an oblique strain and now this back problem, as both injuries landed the veteran on the 60-day IL.
Sticking with the Mets, the Athletic’s Will Sammon reports that Max Kranick underwent a flexor tendon repair surgery last month, not a Tommy John surgery as was the initial expectation. A TJ procedure would’ve very likely cost Kranick the entire 2026 season, but there is now some improved chance the right-hander might be back on a big league mound before Opening Day 2027. Kranick already underwent a Tommy John surgery in June 2022 that cost him the entire 2023 campaign, and his 2024 work was limited to 70 2/3 innings in the Mets’ farm system. Returning to the bigs this season, Kranick had a 3.65 ERA over 37 innings with New York before arm problems have again put his career on hold.

Scott Harris Discusses Tigers’ Deadline Approach

By Mark Polishuk | August 3, 2025 at 7:57pm CDT

The AL Central-leading Tigers were one of the league’s busier teams at the trade deadline, even if the team’s moves were more about adding depth and raising the talent floor than raising the roster’s ceiling in pursuit of a World Series. The big focus was on pitching, as Charlie Morton and Chris Paddack joined the rotation, and Kyle Finnegan, Rafael Montero, and (when he is healthy) Paul Sewald will contribute to the bullpen mix.

Focusing on relief pitching perhaps led to Detroit’s strategy, as president of baseball operations Scott Harris told reporters (including the Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and the Detroit News’ Chris McCosky) earlier this week. “Some of the prices around the game were really high for short-term rental relievers,” Harris observed. “We felt like it was a better approach for us to attack it in volume with some guys that we like, some guys that are doing some things under the hood that we really value.”

Detroit’s highly-ranked farm system remained pretty much intact in the wake of the deadline, as the Tigers didn’t move any of their best prospects. There wasn’t really any sense that Detroit was even considering any of its top minor leaguers, and as Petzold notes, there weren’t many trades involving top-100 type prospects at this deadline. By that same token, however, Petzold also notes the several prominent deals that didn’t involve elite prospect talent, and wondered if the Tigers could’ve just been a little aggressive in outbidding rival teams for the likes of Merrill Kelly, David Bednar, or Ryan Helsley. (Kelly and Bednar were known to be Detroit trade targets leading up to the deadline.)

This being said, we don’t know what kind of returns clubs were demanding from the Tigers, and Harris indicated that teams wanted a lot. “When it came to the actual prices, a lot of the moves that we passed on felt like moves that were going to haunt us for many years to come,” Harris said. “We have what we think is one of the best, if not the best, farm system in all of baseball. We felt like, at this moment in time, giving up on young players to chase short-term fixes is not in the best interest of the Tigers, both in the short- and long-term.”

The long view is key to Harris’ thought process, as the PBO doesn’t view 2025 as an all-in sort of season. Between the Tigers’ return to the playoffs in 2024 and now their big division lead this season, Harris sees this as the first of many opportunities for the club over a sustained period of time, rather than a window that may align with Tarik Skubal’s remaining two-plus years under arbitration control.

“We want to be good every year. Really, really good every year,” Harris said. “I don’t think we thought about this deadline as different from future years. I always want to sit in front of you and say we’ve got a real good baseball team and we’ve got a lot of chances to get better. I think I can credibly say, we have a really good baseball team by our competitive standing right now. I think I can also credibly say we got better [at the deadline]. And I can credibly say that we have some players coming in our farm system, both for this year and for future years, that are going to help us get even better.”

Time will tell if Harris has made the right call or not, and it should be noted that baseball history is full of under-the-radar deadline additions that ended up making a huge impact on a championship team. That said, there are also plenty of example of contenders who didn’t strike while the iron was hot, and injuries and under-performance then scuttled what seemed to be very promising rosters. Detroit fans waiting for the team’s first World Series title since 1984 may not share Harris’ big-picture view, but the executive is fine with being patient.

“My job is to make the best decisions for this organization,” Harris said. “I understand everybody wants to go grab the flashiest name and not give up any good players. But that’s not an option. We can’t do that. If we’re going to grab those players, we’re going to give up some really talented players and I didn’t think that was in the best interest of our organization.”

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