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Royals Receiving Interest In Catching Prospects

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The Royals have had a tough season. They’re 46-50, buried in their division by 13 games, and currently sit 4.5 games out of a Wild Card spot with a negative run differential and ace Cole Ragans on injured list. They don’t exactly look like the likeliest buyers with the trade deadline less than three weeks away, but The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes that the front office is getting “consistent interest” from rival executives regarding top catching prospects Blake Mitchell, Carter Jensen, and Ramon Ramirez.

Mitchell, 21 next month, was the eighth-overall pick in the 2023 draft. He’s a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport who’s even more well-regarded by some outlets, though he’s gotten into just 14 games this year due to hand and wrist injuries. Jensen, 22, was a third-rounder back in 2021 and has split the 2025 season between Double- and Triple-A with a .286/.356/.462 slash line overall. In his first 13 games since being promoted to Omaha, Jensen has already crushed six homers and four doubles. As for Ramirez, the 20-year-old is currently on the injured list but signed with the club out of Venezuela and made his pro debut back in 2023. This year, he’s slashed .252/.366/.472 in 44 games at the Single-A level.

It’s an impressive crop of catching talent, and it’s not hard to see why some clubs would be intrigued by adding any of these youngsters to their farm system. Teams like the Nationals, Padres, Rays, Rangers, Twins, Phillies, Reds, and Guardians all have catching tandems with room for improvement in the near future, whether that’s due to an existing pair of catchers that could use an upgrade for an established option that figures to hit free agency within the next year or two. With so many teams that could stand to upgrade at catcher, either now or in the next few years, it’s not hard to imagine the Royals being able to bring back a controllable piece like the Phillies did when they traded Logan O’Hoppe to land Brandon Marsh at the 2022 trade deadline.

Of course, it can’t be ignored that the Royals could use some more certainty behind the plate themselves. Salvador Perez is a World Series champion and franchise legend, but he’s also been a replacement level piece in his age-35 season and it could be hard to justify picking up the $13.5MM club option on his services for 2026 rather than paying him a $2MM buyout. Freddy Fermin has been a solid partner to Perez behind the plate in recent years but has never had more than 368 plate appearances in a season and could be miscast as a regular.

There’s clearly some uncertainty behind the plate in Kansas City for the first time in a long time, and it would be understandable if that made the Royals hesitant to trade from their crop of catching talent. While that group could quickly turn into a surplus of catching talent in the coming years, one need look no further than MJ Melendez to see how quickly even a well-regarded catching prospect can flame out in the majors. There’s little reason for the Royals to rush into trading any of their catching prospects now unless they get a deal they’re pleased with; after all, it wasn’t long ago that the Blue Jays were viewed as overflowing with legitimate catching options but they waited until all four of Alejandro Kirk, Danny Jansen, Reese McGuire, and Gabriel Moreno were either in the majors or at Triple-A to start parting with that talent behind the plate.

Still, the idea of trading one of their catching prospects for a more immediate impact talent at another position of need on the roster. Kansas City has received below-average offensive production from second base, DH, and all three outfield spots this year. A controllable bat that fills one of those holes could help the Royals not only try to get back into the playoff race this year, but help fortify the team and maximize the club’s current window while players like Ragans and Bobby Witt Jr. remain under team control. If another team was willing to dangle such a player for one of the club’s prospects, especially one further from the majors like Mitchell or Ramirez, that could be difficult to turn down.

J.C. Escarra Drawing Trade Attention

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30-year-old backstop J.C. Escarra has been a pleasant surprise for the Yankees this year since emerging as the club’s primary backup to Austin Wells. In 36 games this year, the journeyman who spent the 2022 and ’23 seasons outside of affiliate ball has slashed a respectable .215/.312/.354 (89 wRC+) with elite pitch framing numbers. While Escarra has been a below-average hitter overall, he’s sporting impressive plate discipline numbers with a strikeout rate of just 14.0% against a phenomenal 11.8% walk rate. Escarra’s 36-game showing in the majors has been enough to grab the attention of some rival clubs, according to a report from the New York Post’s Joel Sherman.

Sherman writes that Yankees GM Brian Cashman was receiving calls regarding Escarra dating all the way back to last year’s trade deadline, a time when the journeyman backstop had spent less than a season back in affiliated ball and had been at the Triple-A level in the Yankees’ system for less than two weeks. That combination of interest and the possibility the fact that the Yankees have begun giving Ben Rice reps behind the plate in games was enough to lead Sherman to suggest the Yankees could consider listening to offers on Escarra this summer, though that appears to be largely speculative on Sherman’s part.

Regardless of whether New York is interested in parting with their backup this summer, the fact that teams have interest in his services is interesting. Given the fact that Escarra made his big league debut earlier this year, he has five years of team control remaining after this season and wouldn’t be eligible for arbitration until the 2028 campaign. That could make him a strong fit for a number of catching-needy clubs, both those in contention and those with longer playoff timelines.

The Padres could certainly stand to get more out of their catching tandem and are known to be looking for upgrades in the middle of a win-now season, but on the other end of the spectrum the Nationals have the worst catching tandem in the majors and could view a gifted framer like Escarra as a perfect complement to Keibert Ruiz long-term. The Twins stand out as a team on the bubble of playoff contention that could be a speculative fit for Escarra’s services, as well. Christian Vazquez has not only been among the worst hitters in baseball this year but is ticketed for free agency following the 2025 campaign, meaning that a controllable catcher like Escarra could not only improve Minnesota for 2025 but also fill a long-term need for the club.

It’s hard to say exactly how much the Yankees could expect to get in return for Escarra, but given the club’s many needs this summer it’s not hard to imagine them finding some sort of match. A third baseman figures to be a priority, and options like Willi Castro and Amed Rosario could theoretically be had from the Twins and Nationals respectively. Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan could bolster the club’s flagging bullpen down the stretch, and while it could be difficult for a pair of contenders like the Yankees and Padres to match up on the trade market perhaps the Padres have a depth starter like Matt Waldron or Kyle Hart who could interest the Yankees.

Of course, all of this speculation is predicated on the idea that the Yankees would be open to carrying Rice as their primary backup behind the plate for the stretch run. Rice has enjoyed a proper breakout season at the dish this year with a 122 wRC+ and even stronger underlying batted ball data, but he’s made just 11 appearances behind the plate this year, including only four starts and two complete games. Without much additional catching depth available to the Yankees in the lower minors, trading Escarra would be a major vote of confidence in Rice as a player capable of handling the defensive duties of a big league backup.

Cristian Javier Begins Rehab Assignment

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Right-hander Cristian Javier took a big step towards returning to the Astros rotation today when he began a rehab assignment, as relayed by Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Javier threw 1 1/3 innings in the Florida Complex League today, and manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Kawahara) that Javier “came out feeling really good” after a 35-pitch outing where he touched 95 mph with his fastball.

That Javier is back on the mound after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of 2024 is encouraging news for an Astros club in desperate need of pitching reinforcements. Breakout ace Hunter Brown and the ever-reliable Framber Valdez have been good enough this year to paper over a number of issues, but Lance McCullers Jr. has a 6.48 ERA in ten starts this year. Relying on him to start playoff games would be a tough pill to swallow, and rookies Colton Gordon and Brandon Walter aren’t much more reliable despite Walter in particular putting together a strong effort so far.

Javier has a career 3.59 ERA in the major leagues, but the Astros would surely take even the career-worst 4.56 he posted during the 2023 season if it meant adding some much-needed depth to their rotation. Kawahara writes that the Astros are “optimistic” that the right-hander will be able to return at some point in the second half to chip in for the club’s latest playoff push, but it’s not exactly clear when or in what role Javier will be expected to participate. Typically, a pitcher’s rehab assignment can only last for a maximum of 30 days. That would normally suggest Javier should rejoin the big league club at some point in early-to-mid August, but pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery can receive up to three ten-day extensions on their rehab time for a maximum of 60 days.

That means it wouldn’t be outlandish to see Javier continue rehabbing into mid-September, and that’s before even considering the possibility of a setback. Without a more firm timetable for the right-hander’s return, it’s hard to know how much Houston is expecting to be able to count on the righty in the second half. Fortunately for the Astros, Javier isn’t the only pitcher on the mend. Luis Garcia is still on his way back from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in May of 2023 after repeated shutdowns due to continued soreness in his elbow, but began a rehab assignment of his this past Monday. Spencer Arrighetti, meanwhile, has been sidelined since April with a thumb fracture. A rehab assignment could be in sight for him as well, but Kawahara relays (per Espada) that he’ll need “a couple” of sessions against live hitters before taking that step.

All of those impending returns from key arms should help the Astros down the stretch, but with so much uncertainty about that trio’s timeline it’s hard to imagine it being enough to convince the Astros not to search aggressively for rotation upgrades prior to the trade deadline on July 31. Last year, the club surrendered significant capital to acquire a top rental in the form of southpaw Yusei Kikuchi. Barring a surprise injury to Brown or Valdez, they may not need to be quite as aggressive this time around but should still at least be in the market for some type of rotation depth. Pirates southpaw Andrew Heaney, Nationals righty Michael Soroka, and White Sox right-hander Aaron Civale are among a number of veteran rentals who aren’t likely to be quite as expensive as some of the summer’s top names.

Multiple Teams Showing Interest In DJ LeMahieu

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It’s been just two days since the Yankees officially released veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu, but that hasn’t stopped him from attempting to get back onto the field. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported earlier today that LeMahieu was looking to sign with a team to finish out the 2025 season, and has subsequently reported that multiple teams are showing interest in the veteran’s services. There’s no indication that a deal is close at this time and it’s unclear whether that interest is in adding LeMahieu on a big league deal or a minor league pact, but Morosi adds that LeMahieu being available before trade season picks up in earnest could work in his favor as he searches for a new club.

Just one day shy of his 37th birthday, LeMahieu’s numbers have been passable if unexciting this year. He slashed .266/.338/.336 (94 wRC+) with underlying metrics to match in 142 plate appearances across 45 games for the Yankees this year prior to his DFA while playing second base exclusively. His Fielding Run Value of 0 and Outs Above Average of -1 this season suggest his defense at the keystone is just a tick below average at this point in his career, though that’s a far cry from the Gold Glove caliber defense he was capable of in his younger days. Still, the combination of slightly below average offense and defense should be enough to make him an attractive candidate for a part-time or bench role with a team in need of help on the infield.

LeMahieu would be more attractive as a role player for a contending club if he was capable of providing substantial versatility, but there are questions about his ability to handle third base at this point in his career. As Bryan Hoch of MLB.com noted following the Yankees’ decision to part ways with the veteran, LeMahieu expressed during this past offseason concerns about his ability to handle the physical demands of third base and expressed a preference for remaining on the right side of the infield in 2025. Morosi suggested that LeMahieu would be best suited to play for a team that would be able to work him in at some combination of second base, first base, and DH, which could indicate that concerns about his ability to play the hot corner remain.

Given LeMahieu’s significant injury struggles in recent years, it would be understandable if he wasn’t a realistic third option at third at this point. On the other hand, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Hoch) that LeMahieu had expressed a willingness to resume workouts at third base if the Yankees requested he return to the position. If LeMahieu can prove himself capable of handling third base, that would surely help his market. Teams like Cubs and Reds have players entrenched at second base currently but wide open playing time available at the hot corner. LeMahieu would surely be of interest to those clubs if he could handle occasional time at third base, but would not make nearly as much sense if he’s limited to the right side of the infield.

Even if LeMahieu remains unable to handle the hot corner, there should still be several teams that would benefit from his services. The Royals are currently relying on Nick Loftin at the keystone on a semi-regular basis, while Luis Rengifo might benefit from someone to help him shoulder the load at second for the Angels after a tough first half that’s left him as one of the least effective qualified hitters in baseball this year. The Astros, Giants, and A’s are among a handful of other clubs who have struggled to get production at second base this year, but each has recently installed new options at the position who could be preferable to LeMahieu: Houston has promoted top prospect Brice Matthews, while both West Sacramento’s temporary ball club has just welcomed Zack Gelof back from the injured list while San Francisco did the same with Casey Schmitt.

Rafael Devers Suffering From Disk Injury In Lower Back

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After being traded from the Red Sox to the Giants in a shocking June blockbuster, Rafael Devers hasn’t quite looked like himself in recent weeks. At least some of that downturn in productivity can likely be attributed to injury, as Janie McCauley of the Associated Press writes that Devers is facing a disk injury in his lower back that has hampered him during his time in San Francisco. Manager Bob Melvin discussed Devers’s status with reporters (including McCauley) yesterday and suggested that the club is hopeful their new superstar will be able to avoid a stint on the injured list thanks to the impending time off associated with the All-Star break.

Aside from that impending opportunity to rest up for the second half, Devers began taking anti-inflammatory medication to help combat the symptoms and underwent an MRI exam on Thursday as he continues to play through the issue. Melvin suggested that the issue bothers Devers the most when he’s running the bases, though he acknowledged that the injury was “probably a little bit” of a problem for the slugger at the plate as well. The manager went on to suggest that his back injury is the reason Devers has remained entrenched as the club’s DH rather than moving to first base, where he has not only agreed to play for San Francisco but also begun working out before games in preparation for the move.

The news that Devers isn’t fully healthy sheds some additional light on his performance so far with his new team. It’s likely hard for Giants fans to not be a bit disappointed in their recently-acquired star’s performance so far given that he’s hit just .220/.350/.354 (104 wRC+) in his first 23 games as a Giant. That’s already a sample size of 100 plate appearances, but it’s easier to dismiss those numbers as an outlier and believe that better days are ahead given the possibility that he’ll be able to produce more like his usual self if he can rest up and get healthy. Additionally, Melvin’s comments suggest that Devers playing through injury is the reason they’ve been reluctant to deploy him at first base rather than any struggles adapting to the new position in drills or resistance from Devers himself to the move.

While a physical explanation for Devers’s slump offers reason for optimism that he’ll bounce back when fully healthy, it’s fair to wonder whether or not the All-Star break will actually be enough time for him to shake the injury. Back issues are hardly uncommon for sluggers as they age. Mike Trout, Kris Bryant, and Miguel Cabrera are among a number of star players who have had their careers impacted by back problems at varying levels as they aged, and injuries of that sort can often be nagging and become a matter of pain tolerance. While Devers is still just 28 years old, he’s often battled through day-to-day injuries to other areas of his body in the past: shoulder, hamstring, knee, and groin issues have cropped up at various points the slugger’s time in the majors.

While that aforementioned trio are known for their struggles remaining healthy later in their careers, a large number of hitters deal with back problems at one point or another but go on to stay healthy in the future and avoid ongoing issues. It’s a situation worth monitoring for the Giants, who have Devers locked up for eight seasons after this one, but there’s little reason to automatically assume this will be a long-term problem for him throughout his time in San Francisco at this point. In the short-term, the Giants will continue relying on a combination of Dominic Smith and Wilmer Flores at first base while Devers heals up and gets ready to take over the position.

Mets’ Dedniel Nunez To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

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Right-hander Dedniel Nunez will undergo Tommy John surgery, according to multiple Mets beat writers.  Nunez was placed on the 15-day IL on July 3 with a right elbow sprain, and said at the time that surgery was a possibility.  Subsequent tests confirmed that Nunez will have to go under the knife, and he’ll now miss the rest of the 2025 season and possibly the entire 2026 campaign.

This will be the second Tommy John procedure of Nunez’s career, which cost Nunez the entire 2021 season and (in combination with the canceled 2020 minor league season) resulted in almost a three-year absence from game action for the right-hander.  That surgery took place during Nunez’s brief time in the Giants organization, as San Francisco selected Nunez away from the Mets in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, but he was returned to New York following the 2021 campaign when Nunez was still in the midst of his rehab work.

Upon finally getting back on the mound in 2022, Nunez’s high strikeout totals drew some attention, and he got his first MLB look in 2024 when he posted a 2.31 ERA over his first 35 big league innings.  Combined with a 35.5% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate, Nunez turned plenty of heads in his rookie year, and his sudden emergence in New York’s bullpen was one of the many factors that led to the Mets’ big surge to the playoffs over the final four months of the season.  Unfortunately for Nunez, forearm problems cut short his participation in the playoff race, as he pitched only once after July 23.

Nunez wasn’t as effective this season, as he posted a 4.66 ERA and a 14.6% walk rate over 9 2/3 innings, and his strikeout rate dropped to (a still solid) 26.8%.  Though opposing batters have only a .217 BABIP against Nunez, he has been allowing a ton of hard contact, so even those relatively few balls that are landing for hits are causing significant damage in his small sample size of playing time.  His Triple-A numbers were also shaky, and it is fair to wonder if the arm troubles Nunez faced last year and his current elbow issues contributed to the lack of production.

The usual 13-15 month period for Tommy John rehab means that Nunez might be sidelined until Opening Day 2027 if he runs into any setbacks in his recovery process.  Given that this is his second TJ surgery, it is perhaps more likely anyway that Nunez’s rehab will be on the longer end of a timeframe.  Nunez will continue to collect MLB service time while on the Mets’ injured list, though that is small consolation as the 29-year-old is facing yet another extended career hiatus.

The Mets weren’t necessarily counting on Nunez as a high-leverage arm, but his absence removes another arm from an injury-ravaged pitching staff.  New York is already expected to heavily target rotation and bullpen help in advance of the trade deadline, and multiple new hurlers may be required to help the Mets reverse their slide over the last month of play.

Trade Deadline Outlook: Seattle Mariners

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The Mariners are up next in our team-by-team Trade Deadline Outlook series. Seattle last made the postseason in 2022 and has had numerous near misses in recent years under president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander. The Mariners' vaunted young rotation has long been the talk of baseball, but the M's also have an excellent farm system they can leverage to improve the roster over the next three weeks.

Record: 49-45 (Playoff probability 61.4%, per FanGraphs)

Other series entries: Rockies, Giants, Phillies, Pirates, Astros, Marlins, Athletics, Orioles, White Sox, Nationals, Cubs, Rays, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Angels, Mets, Blue Jays

Buy Mode

Potential Needs: First base, third base, late-inning reliever

The Mariners needed offense throughout the winter but were afforded little to no financial resources to make it happen. Dipoto and Hollander dealt with substantial payroll restrictions for a second straight winter, reportedly trying to stretch a budget of about $15-16MM to acquire as many as three different bats. The resulting additions -- Jorge Polanco, Rowdy Tellez, Donovan Solano -- haven't paid off much. Polanco has been quite productive but has been relegated to DH duty for much of the season due to injuries. Tellez was released last month. Solano has hit better over the past five weeks or so but has been a liability for most of the year.

On top of those underwhelming additions, the M's have been plagued by injuries. Victor Robles suffered a shoulder injury that'll cost him more than half the season. Luke Raley missed more than a month with an oblique injury. Second baseman Ryan Bliss ruptured his biceps in April and will likely miss the remainder of the season.

Fortunately for the Mariners' baseball operations staff, it seems ownership has come around on spending to further bolster the lineup. It's not clear just how far north they're willing to take payroll, but even a relatively modest increase could be a boon for a club that could clearly use help at two corner spots. So, where can the Mariners turn?

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Reds Activate Jake Fraley, Option Christian Encarnacion-Strand

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The Reds announced that outfielder Jake Fraley has been activated from the 10-day injured list.  In a notable corresponding move, infielder Christian Encarnacion-Strand has been optioned to Triple-A.

Fraley last played in a big league game on June 23, when he suffered a partial tear in his right labrum.  This is the latest in a series of shoulder issues that have bothered Fraley for a few years, and he received a cortisone shot in an attempt to play through the pain and hold off a potential surgery until after the season.

Time will tell if this gutsy approach will be successful, though Fraley’s numbers have declined over the last two seasons (he has hit .263/.330/.383 over 527 plate appearances since Opening Day 2024) as he has been dealing with multiple other injuries.  A calf strain sent Fraley to the IL for another stint earlier this season, and he missed time with a knee sprain in 2024.

The left-handed hitting Fraley figures to supplant Will Benson in the outfield mix, and between Fraley, Benson, TJ Friedl, and Gavin Lux, Cincinnati is a little overloaded with lefty-swinging outfield options.  Austin Hays is a right-handed bat that has been getting time in both left field and at DH, in a nod to Hays’ multiple IL stints this year.  As the Reds remain in the NL wild card hunt, a righty bat seems like an obvious need if the club is still in position to buy when the July 31 trade deadline roll around.

Encarnacion-Strand hit .270/.328/.477 with 13 home runs over 241 plate appearances in his rookie season, as he was one of many young position players that burst onto the scene for the 2023 Reds.  After tearing up minor league pitching en route to this impressive debut showing in the majors, it looked like CES was going to make himself a fixture in the Cincinnati lineup.

Unfortunately, Encarnacion-Strand has since sputtered to hit only .199/.227/.337 over 260 PA, as he missed most of the 2024 season recovering from surgery to fix a wrist fracture.  Back problems returned him to the IL in April and he didn’t return to the big leagues until early June, with Reds manager Terry Francona intimating that the club was viewing CES’ rehab assignment as a way for the 25-year-old to get on track the plate.

However, the results haven’t been much better since Encarnacion-Strand was activated, so he’ll now head back to Triple-A Louisville.  A 1.048 OPS over 359 career Triple-A PA indicates that Encarnacion-Strand doesn’t have much more to prove in the minors, yet the Reds can’t afford to give CES more time to find himself in the big leagues when the club is trying to fight its way deeper into the playoff picture.

Red Sox Place Hunter Dobbins On 15-Day IL Due To ACL Tear

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Hunter Dobbins’ 2025 season is over, as the Red Sox placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list due to a right ACL tear.  Right-hander Richard Fitts was called up from Triple-A to take Dobbins’ spot on the active roster.

Dobbins was only just activated from the 15-day IL yesterday, as the rookie right-hander had been out of action since June 20 due to what ended up being a minor elbow strain.  His return start was cut short in the second inning, when he hurt his right leg while covering first base on a Chandler Simpson grounder.  MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo reported earlier today that Dobbins was believed to have “a significant knee injury…potentially with ACL damage,” and unfortunately the worst-case scenario has proven to be true.

This is the second time Dobbins has torn his right ACL, as he told the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey and other reporters that he sustained the same injury while playing high school football.  Between that previous ACL tear and a Tommy John surgery during his college days at Texas Tech, Dobbins has a lot unwelcome experience in managing long-term injuries, and he’ll now face another extended absence.  His recovery process will keep him sidelined for at least the start of the 2026 season, though a more definite timeline may be difficult to establish for now given Dobbins’ past knee issues.

An eighth-round pick for the Red Sox in the 2021 draft, Dobbins steadily climbed the ranks of Boston’s farm system and made his MLB debut this past April, as injuries thinned out the Red Sox rotation and opened the door for the 25-year-old.  The Sox moved him up and down between Boston and Triple-A Worcester a few times in April before recalling him in early May for an extended stint in the bigs, as Dobbins had done plenty to impress the organization.

Dobbins has a 4.13 ERA and 17.6% strikeout rate over his first 61 innings and 13 games — 11 of them starts — in the majors.  While he isn’t missing many bats, Dobbins is doing a good job of keeping the ball on the ground (48.4% grounder rate) and keeping opponents from free passes (6.6% walk rate).  Dobbins has relied mostly on his 95.5mph fastball as his primary pitch, but his heater has helped set up batters for slider and curveball, which have significantly higher whiff rates.

Essentially the only minor silver lining for Dobbins is that he’ll continue to accumulate big league service time while on Boston’s injured list.  The Sox will shift him to the 60-day IL as soon as 40-man roster space is required.

Injuries have impacted Boston’s starting depth this year, as Kutter Crawford was also recently lost for the season due to wrist surgery.  Tanner Houck has missed two months due to a flexor pronator strain but is on a Triple-A rehab assignment right now and is expected back soon.  Fitts has pitched pretty well over parts of two big league seasons and is the best bet to fill in for Dobbins right now.  Kyle Harrison is likely the top rotation depth option at Triple-A, as the former Giants top prospect has yet to make his Red Sox debut since being acquired in the Rafael Devers trade.

The All-Star break will give the Sox some extra time to figure out their rotation picture, yet the more obvious answer might be to add a new pitcher prior to the trade deadline.  Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said even prior to yesterday’s game that the Sox were going to explore the market for both starting and relief pitching options in advance of the deadline, and that need has only grown greater in the wake of Dobbins’ injury.  Boston’s ongoing eight-game winning streak has revived the club’s playoff chances, and put the Sox more firmly into buying territory as the deadline approaches.

Cubs Select Brooks Kriske

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The Cubs announced that right-hander Brooks Kriske’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Iowa.  Left-hander Jordan Wicks was optioned to Triple-A to create 26-man roster space, and that was the only corresponding move necessary since Chicago already had an open spot on its 40-man roster.

Kriske was signed to a minor league deal during the offseason, and this marks his second stint on the Cubs’ MLB roster this season.  The righty ended up appearing in one game when his contract was previously selected back in May, and the Cubs designated him for assignment a few days later, and then outrighted Kriske off the 40-man roster once he cleared waivers.

That two-inning outing on May 24 marked Kriske’s first big league game since he appeared in four games for the 2023 Royals.  Kriske’s Major League resume consists of 21 games and 23 2/3 innings over parts of four seasons with the Yankees, Orioles, Royals, and Cubs, and he has been hit hard for a 10.27 ERA during his brief time in the Show.

This could very well end up being another cup of coffee in the majors for Kriske, as the Cubs might just need a fresh arm for the weekend in the wake of yesterday’s 11-0 loss to the Yankees.  Wicks allowed six runs over three innings of work in a relief outing and surely wouldn’t have been available for either of the two games remaining before the All-Star break.

The situation lines Kriske up for a possible appearance against his former team, and the club that initially selected him in the sixth round of the 2016 draft.  After spending parts of his first five pro seasons with the Yankees, Kriske has bounced around to a few other teams and also spent parts of the 2022-23 seasons pitching in Japan.

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