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J.D. Davis Signs With NPB’s Seibu Lions

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Veteran infielder J.D. Davis has signed with the Seibu Lions of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, per an announcement from the club. Davis, a client of ALIGND Sports, will play out the remainder of the 2025 season in Japan.

Davis, 32, has spent the year in the Angels organization. They released him on June 30, presumably to allow him to finalize this opportunity. Davis appeared in five big league games and went 1-for-9. He’s spent the bulk of the year in Triple-A Salt Lake, slashing .294/.371/.524 with 10 homers, 11 doubles, a triple, a 10% walk rate and a 26.3% strikeout rate.

A former third-round pick of the Astros in 2014, Davis has amassed more than six years of major league service time. From 2019-23, he was a productive part-time player with the Mets and Giants, batting a combined .268/.352/.443 with 63 home runs in 1804 plate appearances. His production since that time has evaporated, albeit in minimal playing time. Davis hit just .218/.293/.336 last year in 157 plate appearances between the A’s and Yankees. He also struggled badly in 136 Triple-A plate appearances between the Orioles and A’s.

All told, Davis heads to Japan with a career .257/.339/.423 batting line in 2151 major league plate appearances. A strong showing overseas could garner him some renewed interest in the big leagues or perhaps open him up for an extension or another free-agent deal that would come with a more substantial guarantee than he could expect in North America, where he’s been relegated to minor league deals over the past calendar year.

The Opener: 2025 Draft, Pitchers’ Duel, Mets

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

1. 2025 Draft to begin:

The 2025 draft kicks off this weekend, with the first three rounds scheduled to begin at 5pm CT on Sunday evening. The Nationals, Angels, Mariners, Rockies, Cardinals, and Pirates have the top six picks after winning the draft lottery this past winter. While those six teams were the big winners, they’re far from the only teams that will be in prime position to bolster their future. The Orioles, for example, have four of the top 37 picks after dealing Bryan Baker to the Rays yesterday morning in exchange for the 37th pick in this year’s draft. Competitive Balance Round picks are the only ones that can be traded in MLB, but it’s at least plausible that another team with one of those picks could look to dangle it in trade talks over the next couple of days in order to facilitate an early deal rather than waiting until the Trade Deadline on July 31.

2. Pitchers’ duel in Minnesota:

The Pirates are headed to the Twin Cities this weekend for a three-game set, and the series kicks off tonight with a pitchers’ duel scheduled for 7pm local time. The Twins will send All-Star right-hander Joe Ryan to the mound for his 19th appearance of the season, while Pittsburgh will counter with superstar right-hander Paul Skenes. Ryan, 29, is in the midst of a career year with a 2.76 ERA and a 28.6% strikeout rate in 104 1/3 innings of work. Skenes, meanwhile, will enter his 20th start of the season with a sterling 1.94 ERA and a 27.8% strikeout rate in 116 innings. The Twins are one of several teams on the buy/sell bubble with the trade deadline looming just under three weeks away. They’ll play three of their next four series against clear sellers — Pirates, Rockies, Nationals — and likely need a strong showing in those winnable series to avoid selling off some rental pieces.

3. Mets rotation gets reinforcements:

The Mets have battled injuries in the rotation throughout the year, but their starting staff finally appears to be getting healthier. Right-hander Kodai Senga is scheduled to be activated from the injured list and start today’s game against the Royals and righty Michael Wacha. Senga has been out with a hamstring strain for the past month but had a sensational 1.47 ERA in 13 starts prior to that injury. He’s not the only arm the Mets figure to get back this weekend. While New York hasn’t announced a starter for Sunday’s game, Will Sammon of The Athletic was among those to note that lefty Sean Manaea is expected to be activated for his season debut on Sunday. Manaea re-signed with the Mets long-term over the winter after serving as a key fixture of the rotation last season, when he posted 3.47 ERA in 32 starts. He’s been sidelined all season with an oblique injury but is in line to square off against Royals rookie Noah Cameron on Sunday.

Trade Deadline Outlook: New York Yankees

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MLBTR's team-by-team look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers are always trying to win the World Series and this year will certainly be no exception. The American League East is tight, as is the Wild Card race, but the Yanks are obviously going to do everything they can to strengthen the roster for the playoff push.

Record: 51-41 (89.8% playoff probability, per FanGraphs)

Buy Mode

Potential needs: Starting pitcher, third baseman, relievers

Before the 2025 season even began, the Yankee rotation got blown up. Luis Gil was diagnosed with a lat strain in early March, meaning he was destined to miss a decent chunk of the first half, at least. A few days later, even more ominous news came out, with Gerrit Cole getting some tests done on his elbow. The worst-case scenario eventually came to pass, as he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Cole is going to miss the entire season. Gil could be back in the mix at some point but is still on the injured list and hasn't begun a rehab assignment. Despite those two major challenges, the remaining starters have held the club above water. The rotation has a collective 3.69 earned run average this year, good for eighth in the majors. Lefties Max Fried and Carlos Rodón are each earning their salaries this year. Guys like Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren and Ryan Yarbrough have done good work supporting Fried and Rodón. Marcus Stroman just returned from the IL, but Yarbrough and Schmidt both landed on the shelf recently. In Schmidt's case, he will undergo Tommy John surgery and won't be back this year.

Looking ahead to the club's playoff rotation, Fried is a lock. Rodón would be as well, though his injury track record is well known at this point. Warren tossed around 130 innings in each of the past three years and is up to 90 so far this season. Will there be any questions about his playoff effectiveness as he pushes into the 150-175 range? Stroman wasn't trusted in the club's playoff push last year and they tried to trade him in the winter. Presumably, he hasn't increased his standing in 2025, since he's spent most of the year injured. Cam Schlittler is getting a chance in the majors now but won't have much time to prove himself prior to the deadline. Adding a starter is therefore a priority and general manager Brian Cashman has confirmed as much.

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Trade Deadline Outlook: Atlanta Braves

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On June 18, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Atlanta is "not selling." They've gone 7-11 and lost two of their three best starting pitchers to long-term injuries since then. They're 11 games under .500 and have dropped behind the Marlins in the NL East standings. The front office may not have wanted to sell, but the team has left them no choice.

The more interesting question is whether they feel it's necessary to make a major shakeup. They could move a couple rentals and run it back with mostly the same roster in 2026. That'd be a signal they view this season as an injury-wrecked aberration. That wouldn't address some of the issues -- a lack of rotation depth, zero production from the bottom half of the lineup -- that have tanked their '25 season. The Braves have committed to the same core with a boatload of long-term extensions. Do they feel they need a significant change to that group?

Record: 40-51 (5.1% playoff odds, per FanGraphs)

Other series entries: Rockies, Giants, Phillies, Pirates, Astros, Marlins, Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Nationals, Cubs, Rays, Dodgers

Sell Mode

Impending Free Agents: Marcell Ozuna, Raisel Iglesias, Rafael Montero

The Braves only have three rentals, none of whom would be a massive trade chip. Montero is a league average middle reliever who could be cashed in for a lottery ticket prospect. Ozuna and Iglesias are bigger names and more interesting trade targets, but they've each had inconsistent seasons and are quite expensive.

Iglesias, 35, is playing on a $16MM salary. The veteran righty lost his hold on the closer role last month. He has performed better since moving into more low-leverage situations, rattling off 12 1/3 frames of four-run ball since the beginning of June. Iglesias has not allowed a home run in that stretch, a big turnaround after he gave up seven longballs through the season's first two months. He still has a strong strikeout and walk profile, but he's carrying a career-worst 4.81 earned run average over 33 2/3 innings on the year. The Braves would probably need to pay down part of the contract to move him for a semi-notable prospect.

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Which Other Relievers Might The Orioles Shop?

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The Orioles and Rays lined up a mid-July trade on Thursday morning. Baltimore sent setup man Bryan Baker to Tampa Bay for the 37th pick in the draft. That was spurred by the calendar — with the draft on Sunday, the O’s didn’t have time to waste to finalize the deal — but could be the first in a few bullpen trades for Baltimore.

SNY’s Andy Martino writes that rival teams do not expect the Orioles to trade star closer Félix Bautista. The big righty is cheaply controllable via arbitration for the next two seasons. Baker was also controllable, but dealing Bautista would be a much more significant hit to the 2026 bullpen. Bautista’s command was wobbly early in the season as he returned from Tommy John surgery. He has been utterly dominant over the past six weeks, allowing only one run with 24 strikeouts and six walks in 15 innings dating back to the beginning of June.

Even if the Orioles hold Bautista, they have a few relievers who should be available. Martino suggested the O’s will soon seriously consider offers on righties Andrew Kittredge and Seranthony Domínguez and on southpaw Gregory Soto. All three are short-term bullpen pieces. The Orioles remain eight games under .500 despite sweeping a doubleheader against the Mets on Thursday. Fielding offers on rental and/or veteran relievers makes sense.

Seranthony Domínguez ($8MM salary, impending free agent)

Baltimore acquired Domínguez from the Phillies at last summer’s deadline. While the 6’1″ righty had been Philadelphia’s closer earlier in his career, he’d fallen out of favor because of scattershot control. Domínguez struggled to keep the ball in the park after the trade, yet the Orioles exercised an $8MM option to keep him.

That has proven to be a smart decision. The 30-year-old has worked to a 3.13 earned run average through 37 1/3 innings. He has punched out a third of opposing hitters. His 15% swinging strike rate is a top 30 mark in MLB (minimum 30 innings). The command is still a concern — he has walked more than 14% of batters faced — but he has huge stuff. Domínguez averages nearly 98 MPH on his heater and misses bats with both his breaking ball and a splitter. He has been locked in over the past few weeks. Since June 1, he has fired 16 innings with three runs (one earned) while striking out 25 against eight walks.

Gregory Soto ($5.35MM salary, impending free agent)

Like Domínguez, Soto landed with the Orioles in a trade from Philadelphia at last summer’s deadline. The 30-year-old southpaw is a two-time All-Star from his early days as Detroit’s closer. He didn’t meet expectations after the Phils acquired him going into 2023. Soto has tantalized with big stuff, but the results haven’t really matched in recent seasons.

Soto is amidst his best year since Detroit traded him. He has provided the O’s with 33 1/3 innings of 3.78 ERA ball. Soto has struck out 28% of opponents against a slightly elevated 10.4% walk percentage. He has only allowed five runs since the beginning of June, three of which came in one rough appearance against Texas on July 1. A lefty with a 97 MPH fastball who is having a solid season is going to intrigue plenty of contenders.

Andrew Kittredge ($9MM salary, $9MM club option with $1MM buyout for 2026)

Baltimore added the 35-year-old Kittredge on a $10MM free agent deal. His organizational tenure got off to a rough start. Kittredge injured his left knee and required Spring Training debridement surgery. That kept him from making his team debut until May 21. Kittredge has pitched well, posting a 3.57 ERA with a slightly above-average 23.7% strikeout rate. He has only walked 6.5% of opponents.

Kittredge doesn’t light up radar guns the way that Domínguez and Soto can. His fastball sits in the 94-95 MPH range; he leans as frequently on a high-80s slider. Kittredge has nevertheless been a quality leverage piece when healthy. He was an All-Star with the Rays in 2021. After undergoing Tommy John surgery the next year, he returned to toss 70 2/3 innings of 2.80 ERA ball for the Cardinals last season. Kittredge led the National League with 37 holds a year ago. There shouldn’t be any doubt regarding his ability to handle important innings. The club option means the O’s could retain him into next season, but they may prefer to shop him rather than banking on his age-36 campaign.

Lee Elia Passes Away

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Former MLB player and manager Lee Elia passed away on Wednesday, according to announcements from multiple teams. He was 87.

A Philadelphia native, Elia signed with his hometown club in 1959 after attending the University of Delaware. He had an unremarkable MLB playing career. He briefly reached the majors with the Cubs and White Sox and hit .203 in 95 games. He moved into coaching after spending parts of 12 seasons in the minor leagues. Elia had a lengthy and successful run in coaching.

He won a World Series with the Phillies as third base coach under skipper Dallas Green in 1980. Green was hired by the Cubs as general manager going into the ’82 season. He hired Elia to manage in Chicago. Elia held the position for a season and a half, leading the team to a 127-158 record before being fired. His tenure was most memorable for an expletive-laden tirade ripping Cubs fans who’d expressed displeasure with the team’s slow start to the ’83 campaign.

Elia got another brief managerial opportunity later in the decade. He returned to Philly and managed the club to a 111-142 record during parts of the 1987-88 seasons. While Elia never managed in the majors after that, he worked in scouting and various coaching capacities for the Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays, Dodgers, Devil Rays, Braves and Orioles in a career that ran well into the 2010s. MLBTR joins others throughout the game in sending condolences to Elia’s family, loved ones, and many friends and former colleagues around baseball.

Red Sox Likely To Activate Alex Bregman Tomorrow

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It looks as if Alex Bregman will return to the Red Sox tomorrow. While the team has yet to announce the move, Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the Sox are optioning second baseman David Hamilton to Triple-A Worcester. That’d open the necessary active roster spot to reinstate Bregman from the 10-day injured list.

Boston’s star third baseman has been out since May 24 due to a significant quad strain. The Sox promoted Marcelo Mayer when Bregman went on the shelf. The 22-year-old has been the primary third baseman. He has a modest .272 on-base percentage through his first 37 big league contests. Optioning Hamilton suggests the Sox intend to give Mayer more runway, likely moving him to second base in the process.

Bregman had been on a tear before the injury. He’s hitting .299/.385/.553 with 11 home runs across 226 plate appearances. It was shaping up to be his best season since his MVP runner-up campaign in 2019. Bregman has a career-high average exit velocity and hard contact rate. He rejoins the Sox as they’re riding a season-best seven-game win streak. They’re in an important four-game series against a direct competitor in the Rays. Boston erased a two-run deficit to claim the first game of that set tonight.

This run has pushed the Sox to 50-45 and into possession of the American League’s last Wild Card spot. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has maintained the front office sees the team as buyers despite the Rafael Devers trade. Unsurprisingly, a team official told Sean McAdam of MassLive yesterday that the club isn’t interested in trading Bregman regardless of his contract status.

Bregman is playing on a three-year deal that allows him to opt out after either of the first two seasons. He’s very likely to retest free agency next winter unless the sides hammer out an extension in the intervening few months. Bregman and agent Scott Boras have each said they’re open to the conversation, but the team unsurprisingly has more pressing priorities with the amateur draft and trade deadline approaching. WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported tonight that the sides have yet to open extension talks.

Poll: Which Teams Should Make The Biggest Push For Jarren Duran?

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The Red Sox have fought their way back into playoff contention after their shocking trade of franchise face Rafael Devers last month. Boston has rattled off a seven-game win streak to put themselves at a 50-45 record entering play today and in a statistical tie with the Mariners for the final AL Wild Card spot. That hasn’t stopped some of their top players from finding their names in the rumor mill, however. While it would be shocking for a team in playoff position that has plenty of uncertainty on the infield as it is to trade away someone like Alex Bregman, the Red Sox do have an overflowing outfield mix that could at least theoretically be put to use this summer and bring back some much-needed pitching help.

Masataka Yoshida returned to the Red Sox yesterday after missing the first half of the season while rehabbing his surgically repaired shoulder, and with his return comes an embarrassment of riches in the Red Sox outfield. Roman Anthony entered the season as the sport’s consensus top prospect and, after a slow start, has taken off in recent weeks with a .308/.413/.462 slash line since the Devers trade. Fellow youngster Ceddanne Rafaela has also caught fire of late, with an absurd .303/.341/.630 slash line since the start of June that he’s paired with some of the best outfield defense in the entire American League. And that’s before even getting into Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran, both of whom established themselves as impact players with big campaigns in 2024.

It’s Duran who’s gotten the most attention as a trade candidate of that group, and he’s certainly attractive. He’s just one year removed from a top-ten finish in AL MVP voting, and while his 2025 season (105 wRC+) has left something to be desired, it’s easy for teams to dream on that upside given his three-and-a-half years of team control remaining. There aren’t many teams in baseball who wouldn’t stand to benefit from adding someone of Duran’s caliber to their lineup, but which clubs should be most interested in his services? A look at some potential fits:

San Diego Padres

The most discussed potential suitor for Duran early on, San Diego has targeted the outfielder in the past and that interest appears to be ongoing. The Padres are operating under a tight budget, so a player like Duran who remains in the early years of arbitration is an attractive addition. They’ve also got a gaping hole in the lineup after their left field platoon of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe to open the season did not work out. Gavin Sheets is currently holding down the fort at the position, and while his 118 wRC+ this year has been impressive he’s also a poor defender best suited to DH work. Adding Duran, then, could upgrade the club both offensively and defensively.

Houston Astros

There might be no team that’s a better on-paper fit for Duran than the Astros. With Yordan Alvarez on the injured list for most of the season and Kyle Tucker having been dealt to Chicago, Houston has no left-handed regulars in its lineup. That lack of lefty bats has made them a pedestrian offense (103 wRC+) against right-handed pitching this year, and while Cam Smith has settled in well as the club’s new right fielder a combination of Taylor Trammell, Cooper Hummel, and Jose Altuve in left isn’t great. Duran would be a perfect addition for the club, though a farm system typically viewed as one of the weakest in the majors could make acquiring a talent of his caliber difficult.

Kansas City Royals

The Royals have been looking to find help for Bobby Witt Jr. in their lineup, and while they thought they found just that this winter when they traded for Jonathan India, the addition hasn’t worked out as hoped so far. No team gets less production from their outfield mix than Kansas City, and while Jac Caglianone should contribute at some point, the rest of the group is in need of a serious makeover. Duran would be a strong addition who could fill the leadoff role India was brought in to address, but the team’s 46-48 record could make buying this summer a tough sell unless they can rattle off a big win streak. While other contenders are likely more motivated to make a deal now, the Royals could be an especially interesting suitor if Duran remains in Boston headed into the winter.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are clinging to a small lead over the Mets in the NL East at the moment, and they’re doing that without much production from their outfield. Brandon Marsh has turned things around after a disastrous start to the year and is now roughly league average overall, and Nick Castellanos remains his usual self. The addition of Max Kepler simply hasn’t worked out, however, and Johan Rojas hasn’t looked good as anything more than a defense-first bench option either. Replacing Kepler with Duran would not only help the Phillies in the short-term, but it would also allow the team to add a controllable, cost-effective bat to the lineup at a time where multiple significant pieces (Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto, Ranger Suarez) will either need to be re-signed or replaced.

Other Options

While the four teams mentioned above are arguably the teams that could benefit most from adding Duran, there are certainly other clubs that should have at least some interest in his services. Michael Conforto’s OPS is below .600, and with him ticketed for free agency after the season the Dodgers would certainly stand to improve from adding Duran and could make room for him long-term. The Mariners could be a tricky fit given that both Duran and Randy Arozarena are best suited to left field, but they could certainly use an extra outfield bat. The Pirates are clear sellers this season but need reliable bats to surround Paul Skenes and the rest of their young rotation, and even Bob Nutting can afford an arbitration-level player like Duran. The Twins will need a replacement for Harrison Bader’s production going forward, and perhaps Duran could serve as a bridge to Walker Jenkins and Emmanuel Rodriguez for Minnesota.

If the Red Sox decide to move Duran, which club would benefit most from bringing him in? Have your say in the poll below:

MLB Finalizes Home Run Derby Field

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The field is set for the Home Run Derby. Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. became the final player to join the eight-man competition tonight. The Derby will take place on Monday evening at Atlanta’s Truist Park. The group:

Raleigh is MLB’s home run leader with 36. He is well on track to surpass Salvador Perez’s record of 48 homers by a catcher. There’s a good chance Raleigh will become the first backstop in league history to hit 50. Wood, Caminero and Buxton have all reached the 20-homer mark, while Rooker is one away.

Chisholm has 17 longballs despite losing a month to injury, while Acuña has connected on 11 since returning from an ACL tear in late May. Cruz, who has 16 homers in 82 games, arguably has more raw power than anyone else. His 122.9 MPH home run off Milwaukee’s Logan Henderson in May was the hardest-hit ball since Statcast began tracking a decade ago. Cruz has accounted for five of the top seven exit velocities in MLB this season.

Acuña, who’ll be playing at his home park, is appearing in the event for the third time. The other seven contestants are making their first Derby appearances. Last year’s champion, Teoscar Hernández, elected not to participate because he did not want to stress his legs after spending a couple weeks on the injured list in May with a left groin strain (link via Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register). Buxton is a Georgia native who’ll play in his home state. Raleigh, Caminero and Acuña will all be in the starting lineup for the following night’s All-Star Game. Wood, Rooker, Chisholm and Buxton made the All-Star teams as reserves.

Astros To Promote Brice Matthews

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The Astros are promoting infield prospect Brice Matthews, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The club is off today but he’ll join them tomorrow. The Astros will need to select him to the 40-man roster and open an active roster spot.

Matthews, 23, was the club’s first-round pick two summers ago. The Astros selected him with the 28th overall pick of the 2023 draft and signed him with a bonus of just under $2.5MM. The Nebraska product drew praise from scouts for his well-rounded toolset and patient approach. More pessimistic evaluators expressed concern about his elevated swing-and-miss rates while questioning whether he had the arm strength to stick on the left side of the infield.

The righty-hitting infielder has lived up to that profile this year. He’s in his first full season at Triple-A after making a 12-game cameo there last year. Matthews carries a .283/.400/.476 slash line through 325 plate appearances. He has connected on 10 home runs and stolen 25 bases in 31 attempts. He has walked at a massive 15.4% clip while striking out more than 30% of the time. His average exit velocity and hard contact rate are both above the MLB averages. Matthews has shown an above-average power/speed combination, a willingness to work deep counts, and below-average contact skills.

Drafted as a shortstop, Matthews has played more second base this year. That’s also not surprising given the questions about his arm strength. Matthews wouldn’t have a long-term path to playing time at shortstop on a team with Jeremy Peña regardless. Peña is currently on the shelf with a broken rib, pushing Mauricio Dubón more frequently to the left side of the infield. That has drawn Jose Altuve back in at second base, moving Taylor Trammell into the starting left field role.

The Astros are facing another potential injured list stint, as center fielder Jake Meyers is being evaluated for a right calf problem. Matthews has two professional innings of outfield experience. It’s unlikely the Astros would throw him into outfield work. (They did push rookie Cam Smith from third base to right field, though he at least had a couple weeks to work out there during Spring Training.) Playing Matthews at second base could move Altuve back to left field and push Trammell to center if Meyers is out of action.

Matthews will remain under club control for at least six full seasons after this one. He won’t be eligible for arbitration for at least three years. There’s a decent chance he’ll be optioned back to the minors at some point, especially if Peña makes a quick return that moves Dubón back to the keystone. Houston fans will get their first look at one of the organization’s better hitting prospects, who will step into a club that has built a 6.5 game cushion in the AL West despite myriad injuries.

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